l^ 



The 

Codling Moth 

Manual 




!V*^v%lW 



By AUGUSTUS S. HARRIS 

Hope, New Mexico 



f RUIT-aROWER CO., ST. JOSE?K, MO. 



THE CODLING MOTH 
MANUAL 



Copyright 1913 
— by- 
Augustus S. Harris 



^.^aJ"^ 



K 









©CI.A345582 



INTRODUCTION. 



My object in presenting this little treatise to 
all those who are interested in apple culture, is 
to show by what means the apple worm and 
kindred pests may not only be controlled, but 
actually exterminated. 

And, in the second place, to avoid the accum- 
ulation of poisonous substances in large quan- 
tities on the premises and the heavy expense nec- 
essarily incident to the present practice of spray- 
ing, as the only remedy to combat the codling 
moth. 

Also to point out how, by the use of cheap 
natural and efficient means, within the reach of 
rich and poor alike, this terror of the apple 
grower, the apple worm, may be entirely over- 
come. 

I have indulged in comments on the origin, 
nativity and especially the habits of the codling 



moth, as all these, and principally the latter, are 
necessary to be understood. 

The various remedies that the apple-grower 
has, from time to time, invented to oust the pest 
have been carefully considered, with the view of 
discovering their advantages and disadvantages. 

AUGUSTUS S. HARRIS. 
Hope, New Mexico, 1912. 



CHAPTER I. 

Losses Caused by the Worm. 

It may be truthfully said that the arch enemy 
of the apple-grower is the codling moth, or apple 
worm. It stands directly in the passage way of 
the horticulturist, and must be made to stand 
aside before he can enter the clear fields of profit 
and prosperity, to which his vocation naturally 
entitles him. 

The losses resulting from the annual depre- 
dations of the apple worm mount into millions 
of dollars and call aloud for more efficient rem- 
edies than have as yet been employed. Remedies, 
not of partial control or diminution, but of utter 
extermination. Nothing short of this will put 
the apple-grower on the high road to prosperity. 
This effected, the way is easy and the road is his 
if he so wills it. 

From the nature of the case, the losses can be 
approximated only. Quoting Farmers' Bulletin 
No. 247, U. S. Department of Agriculture: "It 
has been shown by careful estimates in various 
apple growing states that this insect may cause 
a loss of from 20 to 40 per cent of the fruit which 



would otherwise be sound and merchantable. 
Without going into details, this loss on the low- 
est, or 20 per cent, basis amounts annually to 
$11,400,000 in the United States. And this does 
not include the expenditures for spraying trees 
with arsenicals, which amount to more than 
8,000,000 additional, indicating a loss chargeable 
to the codhng moth of nearly $20,000,000." The 
bulletin from which the above is quoted was pub- 
lished in 1906, and, of course, is applicable to 
conditions as they existed at that time. But the 
lapse of six years has brought about changed 
conditions. Vast areas of new apple bearing or- 
chards have been added to the old. As the rav- 
ages of the worm have not been materially 
checked, except in certain localities; and as the 
cost of spraying now is about the same per acre 
as in 1906, it may be safely affirmed that the 
annual losses from the ravages of this insect are 
heavier now than in any other period of its his- 
tory in the United States. Possibly thirty-five or 
forty million dollars is not too high an estimate. 
True economy, how^ever, teaches that we should 
not lose a dollar on account of this or any other 
insect. And it is my purpose to show you how 
you may well-nigh compass this end. 

There are other items that may be classed 



under the head of losses. Many apple-growers, 
in their long, fruitless and expensive contest with 
this enemy, become discouraged and sell their 
orchard lands at a sacrifice. Others, warned by 
this experience, are deterred from engaging in the 
business. 

Apple buyers become shy. Many carloads of 
apples have been sold at a reduced price on the 
discovery of one or two worm-infected apples. 



CHAPTER II. 

Nativity and Origin of the Apple Worm. 

Pomologists tell us that the apple worm is 
a native of Southeast Europe, and that it was 
shipped from Europe to America some time in 
the early part of the last century. How, and in 
what form, it was imported to our continent is 
of no interest. 

But as all animal life has a beginning, much 
practical interest is attached to the causes which, 
in the first instance, gave it being. For, once in 
possession of this knowledge, and the worm ex- 
tirpated, its appearance could be prevented by 
avoiding that state of things that produced its 
origin. Observing the codling moth's successive 
steps of evolution, we are confident that the first 
moth did not lay the first egg. But that the first 
egg evolved into the first moth is highly prob- 
able, if not certain. Under normal conditions, 
it is the law of nature that the lower forms of 
life ascend into the higher, but never do the 
higher descend into the lower. Assuming the 
fact as settled that the first moth originated from 
an egg, what were the causes or combination of 



causes that produced the egg? Surely, whatever 
produced the egg then will produce it now. It 
must be confessed that all answers to this ques- 
tion are theoretical. Yet, some theories are plau- 
sible, some probable, and some correct. Time 
will not be wasted in theorizing on this subject. 
We will premise that a state of absolute cleanli- 
ness is necessary to the perfect development of 
all the higher forms of animal life, and this too 
without a single exception. On the other hand, 
filth is necessary to the full development of all 
the lowest forms of animal life, such as grubs, 
lice, maggots, and the like. It is an axiom that 
filth breeds vermin. The writer is firm in his 
belief that the apple worm originated in some 
old, decayed and neglected orchard of the East- 
ern world. So, the apple worm once extermi- 
nated, in order to prevent its reappearance, the 
orchard must be kept in a clean, healthy and 
flourishing condition. It must be remembered, 
however, that although these low forms of life 
flourish most in filth, they will readily and rav- 
enously assail any healthy form of life with 
which they come in contact, provided, this healthy 
form is of the same nature as that on which they 
are adapted to feed, and from which, in the dis- 
eased state, they took their origin. 



CHAPTER III. 

The Egg. 

We shall consider the egg, as the first in the 
several phases of the codhng moth. According 
to Mr. Saunders, a single moth lays about fifty 
eggs. According to Prof. L. H. Bailey, "A single 
egg is laid in the blossom end of the young ap- 
ple." This is the first deposit in the early spriug. 
Farmers' Bulletin No. 247 says: "The moth lays 
lier eggs a few days after emergence on leaves of 
apple or other food plant, or on the fruit. A ma- 
jority of the eggs of the first generation are laid 
on the leaves, while the greater part of those of 
the second generation are laid upon the fruit." 
A slight discrepancy in these authorities, as to 
the first laying, but not at all material, for 
whether laid on leaf or blossom, the same delete- 
rious results soon follow. The bulletin goes on 
to say: "The eggs are very minule, scarcely vis- 
ible to the naked eye, and pearly white in color, 
resembhng thin convex disks. Around the edge 
there is a coarse network of ridges; while toward 
the center these ridges are finer. A red ring 
which indicates the embryo or developing larva 

10 



appears in the egg a few days after it is laid. In 
about eleven days, varying somewhat with tem- 
perature, the young larva breaks its way out of 
the shell and seeks to enter the fruit." 

Having now seen how the apple worm begins 
work in the orchard, a few observations on the 
rapidity of its increase will be in order. Assum- 
ing that Mr. Saunders is correct in stating that 
each moth lays about fifty eggs, then each motii 
produces fifty other moths for the next genera- 
tion. For the second generation, these fifty moths 
lay each fifty eggs, which develop into as many 
worms, going through the apples to the moth 
state, and culminating in twenty-five hundred 
moths. 

Following up the calculation, it results in one 
hundred and twenty-five thousand worms for the 
third generation. All this amazing number from 
one moth in the spring. Now, if we accept it as 
a fact, that one worm destroys one apple, how 
many bushel crates will you lose, counting one 
hundred and fifty apples to the crate? Over 
eight hundred, had you that many in your or- 
chard. Further under this head, suppose, instead 
of one moth in the spring, you had been visited 
by one hundred or one thousand moths? 



11 



Of course, it is not pretended that this esti- 
mate is hterally correct. Deductions should be 
made for eggs not developing, owing to inherent 
defects. The depredations of birds, and preda- 
ceous insects, if any. And perhaps from other 
causes. To balance this, there are some facts 
that should not be overlooked. Mr. Saunders 
says each moth lays about fifty eggs; that is, 
stated in full, sometimes more than fifty and 
sometimes less than fifty eggs, so an average 
would make the true number about fifty. Again, 
it is a common observation that the majority of 
eggs laid hatch, whether laid by birds or insects; 
but the rule is general, not universal. Another 
very important fact, which is much against the 
orchardist and strengthens the calculation just 
made, is the minuteness of the egg, and conse- 
quent minuteness of the young worm, which es- 
capes detection on this account while in burrows 
in the apple. Once in the apple, it is safe until, 
at least, the apple is destroyed. 



12 



CHAPTER IV. 

The Worm. 

We shall now treat of the apple worm, or 
larva, as it follows next in the order of evolution. 
The worm, within a short time after leaving the 
egg, enters the apple. It may be safely said that 
the worm remains in the apple twenty to twenty- 
eight days. It is of a pinkish color. It has six 
legs, by which fact it can be readily distinguished 
from the apple maggot, or any other worm. 
When matured and exposed to the hot sun, this 
worm can travel at a brisk gait. Like the spider, 
it has the power of suspension by means of a small 
and almost invisible fibre. It can climb this fibre 
and return to any place from which, by accident, 
it losts its footing. Evidently, from the slowness 
with which this maneuver is performed, this kind 
of exercise is undertaken only on rare occasions. 

Here we may remark, that of the four phases 
of the codling moth, viz., the egg, the worm, the 
pupa and the moth, the worm offers the most 
vulnerable point of attack. The moth comes next, 
against which many unsuccessful attempts have 
been made and many unsuccessful devices em- 

13 



ployed. The eggs are too minute to be easily 
perceived; the pupa is concealed; 'the moths are 
extremely shy, and do their work ^n the night, 
concealing themselves in the day time; but the 
worm works in the open day, as well as in the 
night, and can, with pains, be located by the per- 
forated apples and frequently by the juice drops 
on the leaves and fruit. His location fixed, you 
have him at your mercy, as will be fully shown 
further on. 

It is in the larval stage of the codling moth 
that the damage is done. This fact necessitates 
a very close study of all the characteristics of this 
insect between the egg and cocoon state. Let us 
now note the conduct of the apple worm, imme- 
diately after it leaves the egg. Farmers' Bulletin 
No. 247: "Before entering the young apple, the 
larva feeds, as noted, on the leaves, but also for 
a day or two within the partial concealment 
formed by the calyx or blossom end of the apple. 
During several days, therefore, the little apple 
worms feed externally, both before they enter the 
calyx and within the latter." 

When the young worm first enters the apple, 
the aperture made by its entrance is very small, 
but is enlarged, from time to time, to suit the 
size of the worm as it grows. This aperture is 

14 



kept open to supply the worm with air, just as 
the miners' shaft supphes air to the workmen 
under ground. At first view, we would take this 
hole in the apple to be a channel of entrance and 
exit; but not altogether so: the worm usually en- 
ters but once to destroy the apple; this done, he 
leaves the apple to return no more and to enter 
on a higher phase of existence. 

As all animated creatures require more or less 
air to sustain life, an important advantage is 
gained over the codling moth in finding his air 
passage in the only stage of his being in which 
he is capable of doing injury, and at the very 
time when he is working havoc with the fruit. 
This vantage ground strengthened the writer's 
confidence that he could devise means by which 
the extermination of the codling moth could be 
effected. 

The worm remains in the apple three or four 
weeks before it fully matures. This long stay of 
the worm in the apple is the orchardist's rare op- 
portunity, as will be shown under the head of 
remedies. 

The worm while in the apple is very sensible 
of danger; on the least interference will hasten 
to the extremity of the hole, and there remain 
until the alarm without has ceased. 



15 



From this fact, we learn that apples infested 
with worms, in course of maturity, may be 
roughly transported and handled, without the 
escape of a single worm; this assists materially 
in our future work of extermination. 

But when the worm is fully matured, he is 
not at all timid; feeling his importance, he will 
leave his residence, under critical circumstances. 

The worm now being grown, plump and 
strong, and nearly an inch in length, boldly leaves 
the cell of the apple, to enter into the cocoon 
state, the next step in the order of perpetuating 
his species. At this stage, the worm is vei'y 
hardy; and is possessed of great tenacity of life. 
It will survive several minutes when immersed 
in pure coaloil, and is as hard to pull into pieces 
as a strong rubber string. 

We are now in that phase of the codling moth 
in which the matured worms of the first gener- 
ation leave the apples. As some of the apples 
are on the tree and others on the ground when 
the worms leave them, there are. as a conse- 
quence, worms ready to enter the cocoon and 
pupa in both these situations. Professor Bailey 
notes the same point wiien he says: "The greater 
number of the worms leave the fruit before it 
falls." So, according to this authority, the greater 



16 



part of the matured worms are on the tree, and 
the smaller part on the ground. So, whatever 
measures you adopt to destroy the worms, must 
embrace both of these conditions.. The object in 
common of the worms on the ground and in the 
tree is to find some place of concealment in 
which to spin their cocoons. For this purpose, 
some ascend the tree from which the apple fcW; 
others from the fallen apples burrow near or 
on the base of the tree; and sometimes the worm 
will ascend an adjacent tree for the purpose of 
spinning its cocoon. 

As the migratory habits of the worm are s^ery 
limited, it invariably enters the cocoon state on 
or near the tree on which it was matured. But 
this does not embrace extraneous causes, such as 
birds and animals carr^dng worm-infested apples 
to distant parts. A freshet or rushing brook 
would have the same effect. From well-estab- 
lished causes, the growth of the apple is checked 
from the moment it is entered by the worm. To 
discuss these causes here, would be foreign to a 
treatise of this kind. The superficial thinker will 
say, "This cannot be so, for I have seen large ap- 
ples perforated with worm holes." He forgets 
that the apples attained their large size befoi'^ 
they were entered by the worms. 

17 



The worm is now full grown, outside the ap- 
ple, wandering about in search of some secret 
place in which to spin its cocoon. This done, the 
worm snugly within, enters on a new course of 
development, and within a few days assumes the 
pupal form, which will be the subject of the next 
chapter. 



18 



CHAPTER V. 

The Pupa and Cocoon. 

The word "pupa" signifies "Any insect in that 
stage of its metamorphosis which usually imme- 
diately precedes the adult, or imago, stage." 
(Webster's Dictionary.) 

Farmers' Bulletin No. 247 gives the following 
description of the codling moth pupa: "The pupa 
is yellowish at first, but changes to a brown, and 
later to a bronze color. In about twenty days 
from the spinning of the cocoon the pupa, aided 
by its spines, pushes its way out of the cocoon. 
The pupa skin splits and the moth emerges, lays 
its eggs, and gives rise to another generation." 

The transformation described above takes 
place in the warm season, during which time the 
four distinct phases of the codling moth family 
begin and close; or, as some writers have it, the 
life cycle is completed. 

But in the last generation, which begins in the 
fall, passes through the winter and develops in 
the spring, a different process of development 
follows. The larva enters the cocoon stage as 
usual, but does not transform into the pupal 

10 



stage until the opening of the warm weather of 
the ensuing spring. From this, we learn that 
warmth is necessary to the development of larva 
to pupa, and of pupa to moth. Again, we learn 
that there is a greater embodiment of vital force 
in the larva than in any other form of the cod- 
ling moth. 

It is clear, then, that warmth facilitates and 
cold retards the development of this insect. 

Neither the worm nor the pupa that follows 
require any food while encased within the co- 
coon; the larva, before he enters this state, is 
charged with sufficient power to carry hiin 
through to the moth stage; although this may 
consume a long and dreary winter. 

In the summer months, the cocoon serves as 
a place of protection for the larva and pupa. In 
the winter iiionths, it is a comfortable residence, 
in addition to that of security and protection. The 
cold resisting power of the apple worm is re- 
markable. A cocoon was found in the dead of 
winter, covered with ice and snow, the worm in- 
side completely frozen, but soon revived on be- 
ing placed near a heated stove. 

The temperature of the winter wields consid- 
erable influence over the condition of the worm. 
Warm winters, and the frequent warm spells of 



20 



winter, force the larva prematurely into the pu- 
pal state; the same causes force the pupa, out of 
season, into tlie moth state. The moth now, in 
turn leaves the empty cocoon and entering on the 
barren fields of winter, soon dies of starvation 
and cold. 

It is instructive to consider the various loca- 
tions that the worm selects in which to weave its 
cocoon and propagate its charge. On whatever 
thing or place you may find the cocoon, it is 
never in plain view, or on the exposed surface, 
but in some concealed part. Never on the smooth 
limb of the tree, but always under the bark, or 
deep in some crack. 

On account of the different kinds of things 
on which the worm places its cocoon, its trans- 
formation, and consequent introduction into for- 
eign countries, is quickly, easily and often uncon- 
sciously done. Boxes of goods, bolts of cloth, lap 
robes, ladies' bonnets, overcoats are things on 
which the cocoon has been discovered, and by 
means of which, it is easy to see, the codling moth 
can be introduced into far distant places. 

That the codling moth was introduced into 
New Mexico by such means there is no ground 
for a reasonable doubt. Not many years ago, it 
was the boast of the apple growers of Chaves and 

21 



Eddie Counties tliat not a single worm of any kind 
could be found in their orchards. It is one of the 
objects of this short treatise to bring back those 
good old times, by showing how to rid ourselves 
of this pest. 

Inside the chamber of every cocoon appear 
consecutively three distinct phases of the codling 
moth: The larva, pupa and moth. So, in the 
winter months, inside these cocoons, dwell all the 
representatives of the codling moth family. 

We will touch on this subject again in our 
chapter on Winter Remedies. 



ts 



CHAPTER VI. 

The Moth. 

We have now reached the last stage of this in- 
sect, the flying moth. 

The moth is very well described in Farmers' 
Bulletin No. 247: "The moth is but httle known 
among fruit growers, and other moths are often 
mistaken for it. It varies somewhat in size, but 
the maximum spread of its wings is about three- 
fourths of an inch. The front wings are of a 
brownish gray color and are crossed with lines 
of gray scales, giving them the appearance of 
watered silk. At the tips of the wings there is a 
large brown spot, in which are many scales of 
bronze or gold. The hind wings are grayish 
brown in color. Taken as a whole, the coloring 
of the moth is such that when resting on old 
grajdsh bark, it is so like the bark that it is not 
easily distinguished." 

If the apple-grower really wishes to become 
acquainted with the living appearance of the cod- 
ling moth, as it appears while working in his in- 
dividual orchard, descriptions in books, however 
good, cannot satisfy his inquisitive mind; he must 

23 



perform a few experiments himself. With this 
view, it is suggested that he catch an apple worm, 
place it in a gauze box or glass jar, and closely 
observe its motions and changes, until it comes 
forth a living, flying moth. Enclose a twig with 
blossoms or young apples on it in the same ves- 
sel. Now, with your high-power magnifying 
glass, note carefully his appearance and motions. 
In this way only can you learn how a moth looks 
and acts in his living state. By no means, would 
the writer be considered as disparaging the read- 
ing of books; it is a happy way of communicat- 
ing our thoughts, and the only true way of per- 
petuating tnem. 

Enough, though not all, has been said as to 
the general appearance of the codling moth. 

We will now consider somewhat of the ac- 
tions of this insect, and also of his habits and 
characteristics. The moth is of a wild nature, 
secretes itself during the day, and flies around 
after nightfall, depositing its eggs in secrecy and 
silence. It is said to fly in a nearly perpendicular 
position. As this mode of fljang is necessarily 
slow, the moth moving in this position becomes 
an easy prey for predaceous birds and insects, 
where the latter are of nocturnal habits. 

On the approach. of day, the moths conceal 



24 



themselves in any convenient place. They will 
crawl under sacks or pieces of planks or into or 
under boxes left in the orchard. It is always hid- 
den from view, as nearly so as possible. Owing 
to its wild nature, it is said to fly away on the 
approach of a light after nightfall. This has 
been controverted; but the best authority favors 
the first statement. One apple-grower stated that 
he had killed Vast quantities of moths in the night 
time, by means of lights placed over tubs partly 
filled with water. But, on being interrogated by 
the writer, this apple-grower confessed that he 
could not distinguish one moth from another; 
that he would not know a codling moth if he 
should see one. 

It is owing to the codling moth's wild nature 
and nocturnal habits, that we find among our best 
writers on this subject such expressions as these: 
"The moth is but little known among fruit-grow- 
ers, and other moths are often mistaken for it." 
"Very few apple-growers are acquainted with the 
moth, as it flies at night." 

As to the migratory habits of the moth, they 
are very limited. The writer does not believe that 
the moth, like the bee, ever mounts upward and 
flies away in search of new prospects and new 
orchards. On the contrary, extraneous causes 

25 



excepted, the codling moth hves and dies in the 
orchard of its origin. But suppose a crow let fall 
a worm-infested apple on some distant hill or 
plain, the case is different. The worm would 
evolve into the moth as usual. The moth would 
assume migratory habits and begin at once the 
search for an apple orchard, or some place to lay 
its eggs, in its endeavor to propagate its species. 
The writer will cite a case, directly in point, 
which occurred last year in his neighborhood, 
supporting his assertion that the moth has very 
limited migratory habits; that it never, unless 
acted upon by some extraneous cause, wanders 
far from the place of its origin: Two orchards 
were separated by a cross fence, one on the east 
side, the other on the west; without this fence, 
the two would have made one solid block of ap-l 
pie orchard. The owner of the west orchard f 
sprayed his orchard thoroughly several times 
during the season, reducing the quantity of 
worms very perceptibly. In the east orchard the 
worms ran riot, as the owner did not spray at all - 
or take any measures to check the ravages of the 
worms. There was a uniform scarcity of worms 
over the west orchard, extending to within about 
ten rows of the east orchard; here there was a 
very perceptible increase of worms, showing con- 

26 I 



clusively that this increase of worms in the east 
side of the west orchard came from eggs planted 
there by moths from the west side of the east 
orchard. The distance across tliese rows may be 
placed at 150 or 200 yards, and this distance may 
be accepted as near the extent of the migration 
of the codling moth in a single season. 

Long before the writer had learned of this 
case, he was convinced, by reflection and by ob- 
servations in his own orchard, that the spread of 
the pest from its own action was slow indeed. 
How could it be otherwise? The egg is pasted to 
the tree without power of locomotion. The worm, 
when first hatched, is small and delicate, and 
must eat, then and there, or starve. As soon as 
the worm acquires sufficient strength, it enters 
the apple on the very tree on which the egg was 
laid; no migration here. The worm when ma- 
tured, immediately leaves the apple, and in great 
haste seeks some secret place to spin his cocoon. 
The cocoon is stationary, so is the pupa eventu- 
ally formed within. The shy and timid moth 
comes next, and, after continuously flying around 
for a few nights, it deposits all of its eggs and 
dies. 

Apple worins of all sizes work in the orchard 
throughout the season. On the same tree, and on 

27 



any day, from early spring to the close of the 
season, you can find worms ranging in size from 
the smallest to the largest. This condition of 
things arises from the fact that the niolii 
eggs on different days, and that each egg begins 
to incubate from the moment it is laid. Now, 
when we consider that the moth lays about fifty 
eggs, there must elapse quite a number of days 
between laying the first and the last egg. So, of 
course, the difference in the dimensions of the 
first and last worms would correspond to this 
length of time. The egg duct channel is charged 
with a certain number of eggs. The eggs nearest 
the outward aperture are harder, larger and more 
matured than those farther up the duct, and are 
laid first; those farthest up the duct are small 
and soft, but enlarge and harden as they ap- 
proach the outward extremity of the duct, to be 
laid in their turn. When all these facts are con- 
sidered, it is clear why there is such a difference 
in the sizes of the worms from the eggs of the 
same moth. 

There is another cause for this difference: 
Eggs deposited on parts of the tree exposed to 
the sun would naturally mature earlier than 
those deposited at the same time in cool and 
shady places. Again, as cool and rainy spells of 

28 



weather retard and benumb the activity of the 
moth, tliis cause would conduce still more to the 
difference. Still, again, eggs laid during a warm 
spell of weather would hatch much earlier than 
eggs laid in a cold spell. This still further ac- 
counts for the difference in the sizes of worms 
of the same generation. 

It is said that all the moths do not appear at 
the same time in the spring. We have already 
noticed that warmth is favorable to the develop- 
ment of the moth in all its stages. This being so, 
the first moths develop in those cocoons that are 
favored with warm and sunny places, and are 
the first in the orchard; others, being located in 
cool and shady places, are slower in their devel- 
opment, and consequently later in the orchard. 



29 



CHAPTER VII. 

Moth Balls and Smudging With Ill-Smelling 
Compounds. 

We will now notice some of the remedies the 
apple-grower, in his distress, has adopted in the 
hope of overcoming his enemy, commenting on 
their advantages and disadvantages. 

"Moth balls hung in the trees and supposed 
to keep the moths awaj^" Of course, they were 
valueless, and soon passed away. There are 
many horticulturists who never heard of such a 
device. Our sympathy is excited by the earnest- 
ness betoken in the adoption of such a curious 
device. 

"Smudging or spraying orchards with ill- 
smelling compounds," however reasonable it may 
have appeared at the time of its adoption, had 
little or no value. This recourse was doubtless 
suggested by the well-known fact that smoke 
acts as a repellent on gnats, mosquitoes and other 
insects. On close view, as the result proved, this 
remedy was not founded in practical sense, and 
has long since been abandoned. Admitting that 
it was partiall}^ effective, and there is no ground 

80 



for the admission, who could afford to have ill- 
snieUing compounds in his orchard throughout 
the entire growing season? It cannot be allowed 
that it was even one step of progression, leading 
to the present system of spraying with poisonous 
solutions against the codling moth; for this dis- 
covery was the result of pure accident. 



81 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Sulphur and Calomel Remedies. 
Plugging the tree with sulphur is another 
strange device to which the orchardist has re- 
sorted in his hard tight against the apple worm. 
The orchardist, knowing the close resemblance 
in the laws of animal and vegetable life, sup- 
posed that sulphur, when put into the body of 
the tree, would mix with the sap and enter the 
apple, and, there being taken as a food by the 
worm, would cause its death, in the same man- 
ner that vermin are killed on the bodies of dis- 
eased animals when sulphur is mixed and admin- 
istered with their food. This experiment ended 
in failure, although it had some reason on its 
side. The main idea, to kill the worm by mix- 
ing poison with its food, was good. It is the rul- 
ing principle in our spraying system today. The 
mistake was in selecting the wrong material and 
in applying it in the wrong way; for could you 
in this way get a sufficient quantity of poison 
into the tree to kill the worm, would not the 
poison also kill the tree, or, at least, inflict a 
serious injury on the tree and the fruit? Who 

82 



would dare to partake of the fruit of a tree inoc- 
ulated with a deadly poison? 

A similar plan was attempted by plugging the 
roots of the tree with calomel. This plan also 
ended in signal failure. Any further comment 
on this subject is useless; for what is said of the 
sulphur remedy applies with equal force to the 
calomel remedy. 



83 



CHAPTER IX. 

Banding Trees With Tarred Paper. 
By this remedy the apple trees were wrapped 
with tarred paper to prevent the apple worm 
from ascending the trees to eat the apples up. 
The futility of this device evinces the necessity 
of some knowledge of the habits of the codling 
moth before taking active measures against him 
or prescribing them for others to follow. If the 
tarred paper held the worm fast, the device would 
be effective to that extent; but it merely turns 
the living worm back, to go elsewhere, at pleas- 
ure. It would be the pleasure of the worm to 
find some convenient place in which to spin its 
cocoon, from which, in due time, the flying inoth 
would emerge, ready to deposit eggs upon the 
fruit. When the matured apple worm is crawl- 
ing about, all the harmful work that pertains to 
his generation has been accomplished. The 
proper thing now to do is to kill this particular 
worm, thus putting an end to the part he will 
play in the next generation. This, however, the 
tarred paper does not do; so we pronounce it a 
useless expenditure of time and money. Of 

84 



course, these worms, which the tarred paper is 
supposed to turn back, come from fallen apples 
and are ascending the trees to enter into the co- 
coon state. What effect could it have on the 
majority of the worms that leave the apples on 
the trees, and never descend? 



86 



CHAPTER X. 

Trap Lanterns, Vinegar and Molasses, Spraying 
With Water, Electric Lights, Wood Peckers. 

Regarded as agencies for the destruction of 
the codling moth, all the things above enumer- 
ated, with the exception of the last, may be 
classed as failures, and as a consequence long 
since abandoned. 

Rut many respectable authorities encourage 
the presence of the wood peckers in the orchard 
as a valuable ally in the fight against this insect. 
They claim that the piercing eyo of the wood 
peckers detects the cocoons in their secret places, 
and plucks therefrom the embryo insects. It is 
frankly conceded that this bird does much good 
in destroying this insect, but the good is over- 
balanced by the injury he docs by perforating 
and girdling the trees. In the growing season, 
the sap exudes from these perforations, attracts 
noxious insects, and causes sunscald. There is 
an ugly scar; it sours, and fungus sets in. In the 
winter, through these holes the cold penetrates 
to an undue depth. The tree is always impaired, 
and sometimes dies. Away with the wood pecker! 

86 



And here we may observe, that no natural 
enemies of the codling moth should be allowed 
in the orchard that inflict damage on the trees 
or on the fruit. 

Since writing the above, the author's atten- 
tion has been called to an article in the Year 
Book of 1911, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
showing the utility of predaceous birds in apple 
orchards. In this article, the woodpecker is a 
conspicuous figure. Much credit is given to him 
and other insectivorous birds. In addition to 
what has already, been written, and modifying it 
to some extent, it may be safely affirmed that 
all insect-eating birds, that do no material dam- 
age to fruit or tree, should be encouraged to 
visit and reside in the orchard. No doubt there 
are localities in which the woodpecker does lit- 
tle or no damage to the trees, while he destroys 
large quantities of worms and pupas. In such 
places, it is sound policy that he should be spared. 
However, too much importance should not be 
ascribed to the assistance of the birds; for ex- 
perience abundantly shows that they alone are 
wholly inadequate to overcome the apple worm. 
We all know that the birds have inhabited this 
continent for ages past; that, when the forest 

37 



was cleared and the orchard set, they forsook 
the forest, entered our orchards in large num- 
bers, made them their breeding ground and 
favorite abode; and yet, with all the advantage 
of being first in possession, and of being famil- 
iar with every tree and twig in the orchard, they 
signally failed to prevent, in the first instance, 
the entrance of the apple worm, and much more 
so to effect its expulsion. Further, it must be 
remembered that the first entrance of the cod- 
ling moth is in small numbers, never in swarms; 
and yet, the birds, with their keen eyes and 
finely attuned ears, failed to detect the intrusion. 
How silly, then, to expect the birds to overcome 
them after (hey have established themselves by 
thousands ! 

Still, in justice to the birds, it must not be 
overlooked that the moth comes and deposits its 
eggs in the night, while the birds are asleep. 
Were the codling moth a daylight insect, the 
police efficiency of the birds would be vastly 
increased. 

Local conditions should govern this question. 



38 



CHAPTER XL 

The Bandage Remedy. 
When the handage remedy was first intro- 
duced, it was severely ridiculed by some bril- 
hant writers who should have known better; for 
experience has demonstrated its usefulness, as 
an auxiliary remedy to spraying. The inventor 
claimed it was good for everything; the critic, 
that it was good for nothing. Both erred. The 
first claimed too much; the last denied too much. 
The inventor, however, deserves some praise for 
inventing that which is useful; the critic none, 
for he ridiculed and condemned that which is 
useful. 

Here follows some of the ridicule: "Does the 
apple worm bore your apples ? Bandage the butt 
of your tree and he perisheth forthwith." Again: 
"Long live king humbug! He still feeds fools 
on flap-doodle, and many of them have large 
and flourishing families, who will perpetuate the 
breed to the remotest generation." This piece 
of criticism was suggested by reading a newspa- 
per article recommending banding trees as an 

39 



efficient remedy against all insects that injure 
trees. The inventor evidently proceeded on the 
palpable error that all insects evolve into the 
larval form from eggs laid on or in the ground, 
and must crawl up the tree before they can dam- 
age the tree or its fruit. He was wrong in the 
extensiveness of his claim, but right in part as 
to the codling moth, which saved his claim from 
oblivion, the fate of all the silly remedies up to 
this time. The reader will remember that worm- 
infested apples frequently fall to the ground. 
When the worms in these apples mature they 
leave the apples, and many attempt to ascend 
the trees for the purpose of entering into the 
cocoon state. When the worm reaches the band- 
age, having found a convenient and secret place, 
he forthwith crawls underneath and spins his 
silken cocoon. It is the worm from the fallen 
apple to which this remedy almost exclusively 
applies. 

A reliable horticulturist, who has had consid- 
erable experience in using the bandage system, 
says that in all his experiments he had never 
found a single worm above and under the band- 
age; but that he had caught many under the 
bandage, on the side next to the ground. This 



40 



seems to warrant the conclusion that the worm 
does not descend the tree to enter the cocoon 
state. 

Had it been true, as the inventor supposed, 
that all insects must first crawl up the tree in 
order to reach the fruit, his invention would not 
have fallen far short of his extensive claim. 

It should be noted that one generation of 
worms must have done their work of devasta- 
tion in full before being entrapped under the 
bandage, and that these are only a small part of 
the entire generation, only those from fallen ap- 
ples. Being only effective, in part, as we see; 
yet, it was the only remedy which had any real 
merit at the time of its discovery. 

Standing alone, the bandage system would 
not bring the worms even under perceptible con- 
trol; for, as we have seen, only a small percent- 
age of the worms are in the fallen apples. So, 
should all of these be caught, which is scarcely 
probable, the larger part would still be left to 
perpetuate the species. It is only in connection 
with other remedies of a more thorough kind 
that this one is valuable, as will subsequently be 
seen. And, although first in the order of discov- 
ery, it is not first in practice and least of all in 
efficiency. 



4.1 



In U. S. Bulletin 247, this subject is treated 
quite fully, which we will now quote: 

"The use of bands to trap the full-grown lar- 
vae of the codling moth was the only remedial 
measure of value before arsenical sprays were 
discovered. If an orchad has been given good 
care and spraying is thoroughly done, it may be 
unnecessary to use bands. If, however, the 
trees are old and cracked and have holes in the 
trunk and branches, or planted close together, so 
that spraying is difficult, the use of bands will 
materially aid in bringing the insects under con- 
trol. Banding for this insect is simply affording 
it a good place to spin its cocoon, and killing the 
larva or pupa after it has gone beneath the band. 
Cloth bands from, 10 to 12 inches in width, are 
folded once lengthwise and placed around the 
tree. They can be fastened in such a way as to 
be easily removed and replaced, by driving a 
nail through the ends and then nipping off the 
head at an angle, so as to leave a sharp point. 
If a tree is large, one band should be placed on 
the trunk and one on each of the larger limbs. 
Cloth bands of any heavy, dark-colored stuff 
are much preferable to bands of hay or paper. 
When bands arc used, the tree should be scraped 

42 



clean of rough or loose bark, to leave as few 
other attractive places as possible in which the 
larvae might spin cocoons. Inspection of tne 
bands should be made regularly at intervals of 
ten days, and all larvae and pupa found beneath 
them should be destroyed with a knife. If used 
alone, banding is but little effective in badly in- 
fested localities, but it is a most valuable adjunct 
to spraying. Under no circumstances, should 
banding be used as a substitute for spraying." 

As we intend to make banding a part of our 
exterminating system, though not, by any means, 
an indispensable part, it is recommended that 
they should be put on in the early spring, as this 
is the most convenient time. They will not be 
in the way. So, when the fight begins in earn- 
est, you will not be bothered running around 
with your bands, when you should be at other 
business. 

To fasten the bands around the trees, use a 
piece of stiff wire about the size of hay-binding 
wire, four or five inches long, and a loop in one 
end large enough for the insertion of your fin- 
ger. You will find this device for fastening and 
ynfastening the bands more convenient than the 
nails referred to in the bulletin. 

43 



At the expense of repetition, and that the use 
of this device may be clearly understood, we will 
say, that the bands do not entrap any worms of 
the first generation until after they have wrought 
destruction to the apples to the extent of their 
numbers. So, when you catch under the bands 
one thousand worins, you may positively know 
that you have lost one thousand apples. And, if 
it be true that each moth lays forty or fifty eggs, 
you may know that you have saved forty or fifty 
thousand apples from the ravages of the worms 
of the second generation. 

We shall have occasion to revert to this sub- 
ject again. 



44 



CHAPTER XII. 

Spraying Remedy. 

Next, in the order of discovery, comes spray- 
ing witii arsenical compounds, tlie result of an 
accident as applied to the apple worm. As its 
introduction into the apple orchard marks a new 
era in this industi^, an account of the manner 
hy which it was brought about will be both en- 
tertaining and instructive. Year Rook of the De- 
partment of Agriculture, 1899: 

"With the writings of Walsh, immediately 
followed by those of Riley, a new era of excel- 
lent remedies founded upon accurate knowledge 
of the economy of the insects in question began. 
Aside from the excellent recommendations which 
had been made with regard to agricultural prac- 
tice, as it has been termed, and which refers to 
such matters as rotation of crops, different timeu 
of planting and harvesting, and different meth- 
ods of cropping, etc., the first great start which 
the new econoinic entomologist received from 
the remedial standpoint was probably the intro- 
duction of paris green as an insecticide. 

45 



Paris Green. 

♦ "At the time this substance was introduced, 
the best insecticides in use were the various 
forms of soap, tobacco, quassia cliips, carbohc 
acid, and hellebore, although the last was a com- 
paratively new remedy and comes into general 
use at about the time of the spread of the im- 
portant currant worm in the late fifties. The 
spread of the Colorado potato beetle into the 
Eastern States, between the years 1859 and 1872, 
started a great deal of experimental work in re- 
gard to remedies, and paris green was first used 
at some time early in the sixties. The name of 
the first man to use it is not known, but by 1868 
it was being used by several persons. The edi- 
tors of the American Entomologist (Vol. 1, p. 219, 
July, 1869) recommended it confidently as a re- 
sult of experiments, tried both in 1868 and 1869, 
and in the former year Mr. J. P. Wilson, of Illi- 
nois, took out a patent for one part paris green 
and* two parts mineral paint, to be used to kill 
potato bugs. The use of paris green against the 
cotton caterpillar seems to have been first sug- 
gested by Riley at the St. Louis meeting of the 
National Agricultural Congress in 1872, although 
in January, 1871, T. W. Mitchell, of Texas, se- 



46 



cured a patent for the use of a solution of ar- 
senic against this insect. Its extensive use against 
the cotton caterpillar has been a great boon to 
the cotton planters of the South. 

In 1872 Dr. Le Boron recommended the use 
of paris green against the spring cankerworm, 
which was abundant that year. This was the 
first recommendation for its application to fruit 
trees. Four years later Prof. A. G. Cook repeated 
the recommendation, and in 1878 the advice was 
followed by many apple-growers in Michigan. In 
1878 Mr. J. S. Woodward, of Lockport, N. Y., 
advised Mr. Edward P. Hayes, of Niagara 
Count3% N. Y., to spray his apple trees with paris 
green against the canker worms* The following 
autumn Mr. Haynes noticed that the apples in 
the sprayed part of the orchard were much less 
infested by the codling moth than in other parts 
of the orchard. Mr. Woodward visited the or- 
chard, verified the fact and reported it at the 
Januarj;^ meeting of the Western New York Hor- 
ticultural Society. Mr. Woodward, writing to 
the late E. G. Lodeman, when the latter was en- 
gaged in preparing his work entitled "The Spray- 
ing of Plants," said: "I shall never forget this, 
because of the way in which I was jumped upon 

47 



as a crank." Almost at the same time, the same 
discovery was made by Prof. Cook, in Michigan, 
and by Hon. John M. Dixon, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, 
the latter, however, using london purple instead 
of paris green. This discovery has resulted in 
the use of arsenical poisons in enormous quan- 
tities in regular orchard work. It was adopted 
slowly, on account of the supposed danger from 
its use. Even Riley, who had been so prominent 
in urging the use of arsenical poisons against the 
Colorado potato beetle and the cotton caterpillar, 
writing in the Farmers' Review, in the autumn 
of 1880, says: 

"Prof. Cook, of the Michigan Agricultural 
College, has latel}^ recommended them (paris 
green and london purple) for the killing of a 
strawberry leaf-beetle which, as he shows, lives 
in its larva state beneath the ground; also for 
the destruction of the apple worm. In the first 
place, it were eminenth^ dangerous to use such a 
poisonous remedy while the plants are fruiting, 
and 1 would not recommend it even later in the 
season until every other available remedy had 
been tried. In the second case, it is even less to 
be recommended. It will undoubtedly serve to 
kill many of the first brood of worms, and this 



48 



is desirable; but there is as good evidence that 
lime or plaster dusted onto the young fruit has 
much the same effect, while experience has 
shown that the bandage system and other meth- 
ods of fighting this insect, when judiciously and 
persistently adopted from year to year, are suf- 
ficient to insure a crop at trifling cost. Finally, 
if the poison is so persistent in the calyx as to 
have any effect in destroying the second brood 
of worms, that will only heighten the danger to 
those persons who subsequently eat the fruit." 

"Professor Cook, in a paper read before the 
American Association for the Advancement of 
Science at its Boston meeting, 1880, as well as in 
subsequent papers read before the Michigan Hor- 
ticultural Society and the Society for the Promo- 
tion of Agricultural Science, gave his annual ex- 
perience, and was the most ardent advocate of 
this treatment for the codling moth. The care- 
ful experiments made by Forbes in 1885 added 
great weight to the remedy, on account of his 
wide reputation for care and conservatism. E. 
S. Gopp, then at Geneva, N. Y., also published 
results of some careful experiments made in 
1885. In 1887 experiments made by W. B. 
Alwood and E. R. Cushman for the Division of 



49 



Entomology emphasized the value of the treat- 
ment, which the writer did not hesitate to 
strongly recommend in his article on the codling 
moth, published that year. As Lodeman has 
shown, however, very few of the most progres- 
sive orchardists adopted the remedy until after 
the establishment of state agricultural stations 
in the spring of 1888, when added emphasis was 
given by the experiments and recommendations 
of the newly appointed entomologists and horti- 
culturists. 

"The same substance, paris green, was first 
recommended against the plum curculio by Mr. 
G. M. Smith, of Berlin, Wisconsin, 1871, but the 
idea that it would be efficacious was generally 
discredited. Mr. L. Luther Bowers, of Herndon, 
Va., used it in 1880 with good results. Mr. Wil- 
liam Creed, of Rochester, N. Y., recorded the 
complete success of two years' work against the 
insect in Purdy's Fruit Recorder, in November, 
1885, and during the same year Forbes experi- 
mented most carefully in Illinois. In 1887 W. 
B. Alwood and Herbert Osborn, working for the 
Division of Entomology; A. S. Cook, in Michi- 
gan; and C. M. Weed, in Ohio, also carried out 
successful experiments, and the remedy has 

60 



since come into general use. By 1887, in fact, 
arsenical poisons had become the standard rem- 
edy against nearly all mandibulate or growing 
insects. Their use in other countries has been 
brought about very slowly, and they have but 
slight vogue in Europe today. Miss Ormerod, in 
her numerous reports, has recorded the diffi- 
culty which she has experienced in securing their 
adoption by English horticulturists. The Eng- 
lish colonists, however, more enterprising and 
less conservative than the home people, have 
taken them up, and they are used today in New 
Zealand, Australia and South Africa." 

This lengthy extract gives us a fair idea of 
the manner in which spraying with arsenical 
poisons was first introduced; and some disad- 
vantages are also mentioned. The chief advan- 
tage that arsenical spra^dng has over all other 
remedies, with which the writer is acquainted, 
is, when properly done, its destruction of a large 
jpercentage of the worms of the first brood. For, 
it must be remembered that all worms of sub- 
sequent generations', are traceable to the first 
generation. Therefore, the more thorough the 
first spraying, the less there will be to encounter 
on the second tilt. Three things are indispensa- 



51 



ble ill spraying: It must be done at the right 
time, in right manner, and with the right mate- 
rial. If all these are conjoined in the first spray- 
ing, the percentage of destruction will run up 
into the nineties. But, if done at the wrong time, 
in the wrong manner, and with the wrong mate- 
rial, all your time, labor and money goes for 
naught. Let us, then, briefly consider the proper 
time and some other matters naturally connected 
with it, inasmuch as we are engaged in the huge 
undertaking of showing, how the codling moth 
may be exterminated. There is some discrepancy 
of opinion as to the proper time for spraying. 

It is not governed by latitude, altitude or the 
seasons; aiuiough it is influenced by those fac- 
tors. We know that we should spray earlier in 
New Mexico and Texas than in Michigan and 
New York; yet the difference in the latitude be- 
tween these states is not a sure guide to the 
proper time to spray. 

It must be governed by a knowledge of the 
time when the moth usually deposits her eggs, 
and the condition of the apples in the particular 
orchard to be sprayed. One or two quotations 
from recognized authorities on this subject will 
suffice. Px'of. Clarence M. Weed says: "In spray- 



52 



ing, soon after the blossoms have fallen off, 
when the apples are from the size of a pea to 
that of a hickory nut, and before they have 
turned downward on their stems, the spraying 
should be done." 

Prof. Gillett, another high authority, says: 
"That while the moths begin to appear about the 
time of full bloom, they don't begin to lay eggs 
until the majority of the apples in the orchard 
are one-half an inch in diameter; when they are 
three-fourths of an inch, they are laid freely. As 
soon as the little apples lose their fuzzy cover- 
ing, the moths lay their eggs very largely upon 
the cheek of the apple, but never in the blossom. 
Later it finds its hiding place in the blossom end 
of the apple. After the blossoms have fallen and 
the apples have attained a little size, is the time 
to spray and not before. It takes seven days for 
the eggs to hatch and about 70 per cent of the 
worms enter the blossom end." 

Too much stress cannot be laid on the above 
quotation, as it goes straight to the very marrow 
of the subject. "Prof. Gillett, who wrote the 
above, has raised these moths in great numbers 
at the governmental experiment station, and is 

53 



considered the best authority on this subject in 
the West." — (Editor Pecos Valley News.) 

In order to acquire a full and accurate knowl- 
edge of the habits of this insect, it must be con- 
fined in such a way that, while its action is free 
and natural, 3^et it cannot escape. This, it seems. 
Prof. Gillett has done. 

You will find on a careful reading of these 
remarks made by Prof. Gillett, that you should 
not spray while the apple trees are in blossom. 
This practice, which is still kept up to a consid- 
erable extent, is founded on a misconception of 
the operations of the codling moth. The followers 
of this practice believe that the moth deposits 
her egg or eggs in the end of the blossom, and 
that the apple grows over and encloses the worm, 
which grows and feeds as the apple grows until 
the worm matures and tunnels out. Scores of 
young apples have been opened to discover the 
truth of this assertion, without the discovery of 
a single worm. There never was and never will 
be an apple worm in an apple without there be- 
ing, at the same time, a hole of entrance. It has 
also been discovered that the blossoms are in- 
jured by spraying; that it kills bees which are 
necessary for pollination. Of course, it is a pos- 

54 



itive waste of labor and material, as the moth 
has not yet laid her eggs. In some places it is 
prohibited by statute. The U. S. Agricultural 
Department, as the writer is informed, recom- 
mends making this practice a grave misde- 
meanor. The spread of information is needed 
more than penal statutes; for surely, no one 
would knowingly injure his o\yn fruit. 

Another important question which should be 
disposed of under this head, is whether the spray 
should be applied before or after the moth de- 
posits her eggs. Before, always. Farmers' Bul- 
letin, U. S. Department of Agriculture, says: 
"During several days, therefore, the little worms 
feed externally, both before they enter the calyx 
and within the latter. And the object of spraying 
is to insure their being poisoned by thoroughly 
coating in advance, with an arsenical mixture, 
the leaves, and especially the blossom end of 
every fruit, before the shutting up of the lobes 
of the calyx. Most of the larvae enter the calyx 
after it is closed, and then are beyond the reach 
of any poison later applied." 

To spray intelligently and most effectually, 
we should know those particular places on which 
the moth deposits her eggs. The bulletin just 



55 



quoted says: "The moth lays her eggs, a few 
days after emergence, on the leaves of apple or 
other food plant, or on the fruit." But the bul- 
letin does not say that the eggs are laid in the 
blossom end, nor does it assert that they are not 
laid in the blossom end. But, judging from what 
the compilers of this bulletin have written of the 
egg, the larva, and the proper mode of sprajdng 
against the latter, it is quite clear that they were 
not of the opinion that the moth deposits her 
eggs in the blossom end of the apple. 

Prof. Gillette, as quoted in a newspaper (the 
writer has not read his works), is positive that 
the moth never lays her eggs in the blossom end 
of the apple. 

Prof. Weed states: "The small chocolate 
moth deposits its eggs in spring in the blossom 
end of the young apple before the latter has 
turned down on its stem." 

Prof. Bailey says: "A single egg is laid in 
the blossom end of the young apple, and in about 
a week it hatches and the young larva eats its 
way into the apple." Now, if it is true that the 
egg is laid in the blossom end of the apple, it is 
absolutely essential that the spray be applied at 
this place before the egg is laid; for, if af ter- 



se 



wards, the egg would be between the poison and 
the apple, and when hatched the worm would 
gnaw into the apple without injury, the poison 
being left behind untouched. 

But if, on the contrary, as Prof. Gillette states, 
the egg is never laid in the blossom end, and the 
spray is applied after the egg is laid, but before 
it is hatched, the young larva would encounter 
the poison in attempting to enter at the blossom 
end, which would not be the case if the first 
supposition is correct. This seems to be the only 
practical difference resulting from the two the- 
ories. 

If the spraying is done after the blossoms 
have fallen and the apples have attained a little 
size, about the size of a pea, practically all the 
poison, except that which adheres to the blossom 
ends of the apples, will have passed off with the 
fallen fuzz, before the first eggs are laid. After 
the fuzz has passed off and the apples have 
grown to about one-half inch in diameter, the 
moth, for the first time, begins to deposit her 
eggs upon the smooth surface of the apple. But, 
as we have seen, this smooth surface is clear of 
poison. The only effective poison, in this state 
of things, is in the blossom end of the apple, and 

57 



upon the leaves, if not washed away by the rain. 
Tlie difficulty loses much of its serious nature 
when we consider that 70 or 80 per cent of the 
young worms enter the apple at its blossom end, 
where they will meet with poison if the spray- 
ing was well done; the sprayed leaves will also 
kill a few. Still a difficulty is presented, to meet 
which, it has been recommended that a second 
spraying be given within ten days or two weeks 
from the first and this is about the time a young 
apple, the size of a pea, requires to reach that of 
a hickory nut, or about one-half inch in diame- 
ter. If the young apple were free of fuzz and 
were coated with 'poison shortly after the blos- 
som falls, by the time it reached the dimensions 
described above, this small quantity of poison 
would be so thinly spread over the surface of 
the apple, if spread at all, as to lose all its virtue. 
Since it has been shown that the eggs are never 
laid in the calyx, but upon the smooth cheek of 
the apple, upon the apple leaves, and other plant 
food, and after the apple has attained the size of 
one-half inch in diameter, why spray so early as 
is recommended by some writers on this sub- 
ject? Spraying at any time, before the eggs are 
laid, after the apples have attained a consider- 



68 



able size, presenting a smooth surface and before 
they turn down on their stems, it seems, would be 
sufficient. It is necessary that the cheeks of the 
young apples should be coated with poison, for 
25 or 30 per cent of the worms enter the apples 
at this place. So it is clear, if the spraying is 
done when the apples are not larger than a pea, 
a second spraying is needed after the fuzz drops 
and the young apples present smooth cheeks. 
But, if the first spraying is done after the apples 
are of considerable size, as has been suggested, 
the expense of one operation will be saved; be- 
sides this, the spraying material will be fresh and 
possessed of all its virtue. Or, in other words, 
the killing power of the poison will be fresher 
and stronger. 

This very early spraying seems to have been 
founded in a misconception of the true habits of 
this insect. The moth was supposed to lay her 
eggs on the apples when they were very small; 
this, as has been shown, is not the case. Another 
error was, that the moth laid her eggs in the 
csrlyx. And both these errors had strong sem- 
blance of reason to support them. For why 
should the moth be out with the blossoms if not 
to deposit her eggs ? And how plausible to con- 



59 



jecture that the egg was laid in the blossom end 
of the apple, from the fact that a very large ma- 
jority of the holes of entrance are found in this 
place? 

As all the authorities that the writer has con- 
sulted recoinmend, in different words, that the 
spraying should be done when the apples are 
small, it would be rash to depart from this in- 
struction, all at once. Practice either proves or 
disproves the correctness of all theories. A test 
could easily be made by spraying the orchard 
when the apples are about the size of a pea, leav- 
ing unsprayed a few rows, to be afterwards 
sprayed w^hen the apples attain a larger size, but 
before the eggs are laid. Then the prevalence of 
the worms in the one or the other portions of the 
orchard sprayed at different times would indi- 
cate the time when the first spraying could be 
most beneficially done, of course, other things 
being even. 

As to the manner of spraying, it is almost 
needless to say that it should be thoroughly done. 
No recommendation is made as to the particular 
kind of machine to be used. There is much dif- 
ference of opinion on this subject. No doubt 
there are many excellent spraying machines of 



60 



different makes on the market. The quality of 
high-power is strongl}^ recommended. This will 
enable you to throw the spray against the wind, 
and to force it down into the ends of the apples. 
The machine should, also, have an adjustable 
nozzle, so the spray can be thrown in any direc- 
tion the occasion may require. Of course, the 
team should be quiet and tractable. It is very 
essential that the proper men should be employed 
to do this kind of work. Experienced hands are 
always best when they can be had; if these can- 
not be had, be sure to employ none but quick, 
active, attentive, and intelligent men. The slow, 
droll, inattentive man lias no suitable place in 
the orchard. 

Some, from a lack of knowledge of the hab- 
its of this insect, apply the spray to the trunk of 
the tree and on the ground around its base. Such 
a practice is not only wasteful but positively in- 
jurious, as will presently be shown. 

In addition to what has been said on the man- 
ner ot spraying, an excerpt from "Fruit Grow- 
ing in Arid Regions," by Paddock and Whipple, 
will be sufficient. On page 382 we find the fol- 
lowing directions: "Pumps with metal valves 
should be used for the application of insecticides 

61 



or fungicides in liquid form, as the materials 
harden or decompose leather valves so that they 
last but a short time. If bordeaux mixture is to 
be used, all parts of pumps and nozzles that come 
in contact with the mixture must be made of 
brass, as the chemicals very soon destroy iron. 
Wooden tanks must take the place of metal. If 
the pump is to be used with a tank or barrel, it 
is also important to have some kind of attach- 
ment that will keep the liquid agitated, so that 
the materials in suspension will not settle. A 
common error is to purchase a pump of too 
small capacity, because it is cheaper. A smaller, 
cheaper pump usually means less accomplished 
in a day with the same help and a poorer job, 
with a greater expenditure of labor. It is often 
important to complete the spraying in as short 
a time as possible after it is begun. To do this, 
a pump of large capacity with two or more leads 
of hose is necessary. The hose to which the noz- 
zles are attached should be as light as possible 
and still have the requisite strength — a hose of 
good quality with heavy wall, but small caliber. 
Bucket pumps are sold by different dealers at 
prices ranging between about $2.00 and $8.00. 
They are suitable for use among garden veget- 

G2 



ables, shrubbery and all low plants, but should 
not be purchased for orchard work if one has 
more than a very few trees to treat. 

"If one has light spraying to do and is without 
help, the compressed-air sprayers are very con- 
venient. Large compressed-air machines that 
derive their power from gearing attached to the 
wagon wheel are specially adapted to the treat- 
ment of low plants, but it is doubtful whether 
any spraying machines of this class on the mar- 
ket are well adapted to the spraying of large or- 
chard trees when the wagon must stand still a 
large part of the time while the spraying is go- 



ing on. 



"When large orchards are to be sprayed, it is 
a matter of necessity and economy to use tanks 
that will hold 200 and 300 gallons, and pumps of 
large capacity. In such orchards gasoline power 
sprayers are most useful and are becoming more 
and more common. Heavier engines are now be- 
ing used, those of two and one-half and three- 
horse power being preferred. They are more 
stable and give less trouble than lighter ones. 

"The first requisite for a good job of spraying 
is a pump that will give plenty of pressure in the 
hose. Then, if one has a good spraying nozzle 

68 



and a liquid that is free from solid particles of a 
size to clog the sprayer, there will be no diffi- 
culty in securing a good spray." 

This much as to the capacity and character 
of the machine advised to be selected. There is 
no doubt as to the value of the views expressed 
by these authors on this subject. 

We will now quote from the same work the 
method of application. Page 368: 

"The methods of spraying for the codling 
moth have changed rapidly in recent years. 
Formerly the trees were often sprayed eight and 
ten times in a season, but in spite of this a large 
percentage of wormy apples was the rule. Grow- 
ers who followed this practice failed to appre- 
ciate the fact that about three-fourths of the first 
brood of worms enter the apples at the calyx. 
This is where' the importance of filling each 
calyx cup with poison comes in. If all of the 
first brood could be killed, there would be no 
second brood and consequently no worms late 
ill Ihe summei, when the greatest damage oc- 
curs. Many orchardists appreciate this fact, and 
so devote all their energies to applying the first 
spray at the proper time and in a thorough man- 
ner, rhis is a job that cannot be neglected. As 



64 



sooU' as the petals liave mostly fallen, spraying* 
should be begun, and it must be persistently fol- 
lowed. The calyx remains open for only about 
six or eight days, and after this the spraying is 
practically useless for the first brood of worms. 
If a second application is thought advisable, it 
should be given about thirty days later. Some 
of our progressive growers are now relying on 
the first spraying, performed at just the right 
time and applied in a thorough manner, and are 
meeting with good success." 

There are many different formulas for spray- 
ing. As already indicated, they have undergone 
changes in recent years. Other changes will soon 
follow. Too many shrewd minds are concen- 
trated on the study of this subject not to open 
the door to further progress. A few extracts 
from prominent authorities will suffice. Pad- 
dock and Whipple say that "three pounds 
(arsenic) to each one hundred gallons (of water) 
is the most that should be recommended." 

Clarence M. Weed recommends paris green 
or london purple, "in the proportion of one 
pound to two hundred and fifty gallons of water, 
or better combined wdth the bordeaux mixture." 

U. S. Government Bulletin No. 247, page 13: 



65 



, "Paris green is probably the best known of. these 
arsenicals. It is a definite chemical compound 
of arsenic, copper, and acetic acid, and should 
have a uniform composition. It is a rather coarse 
powder, but raises in price from year to year 
with the fluctuation in the cost of the ingredi- 
ents. It may be prepared for spraying as fol- 
lows: 

Paris green, pounds 1 

Lime, pounds.. 3 

Water, gallons 150 

The lime should be fresh and should be slaked 
in quantities as required. Mix the paris green 
with a little water until a paste is formed, and 
then add this to the required amount of water, 
to w.hich the lime has been added. A good aver- 
age strength to use is 1 pound to 150 gallons, 
but it must be weaker on trees with delicate 
foliage. Many fruit-growers are using it on ap- 
ple trees as strong as 1 pound to 100 gallons, but 
injury to foliage often results. 

Schiele's green is similar to paris green, but 
differs from it in lacking the acetic add. It is 
a much finer powder than paris green and more 
easily kept in suspension, and it costs only about 
one-half as much. It is employed in . the same 
way as paris green. 

66 



Arsenate of Lime With Soda. 

"In the preparation of this insecticide, the 
following formula may be used: 

White Arsenic, pounds 1 

Sal-Soda (crystal) pounds 4 

Water, gallons 1 

"The above ingredients are boiled until dis- 
solved, which will be in a very few minutes, and 
the water lost by evaporation is then replaced. 
To 40 or 50 gallons of water a pint of this stock 
solution and three to four pounds of freshly 
slaked lime are added. This excess of lime is 
always desired by fruit-growers, as they can 
then see by the amount and distribution of the 
lime on the foliage how well the spraying has 
been done. This formula has been thoroughly 
tested and has been found to be not only as effi- 
cient as the other solution, but far cheaper." 

As the above formulas and suggestion are 
taken from the best authorities attainable, it is 
safe to say that they can be relied upon by the 
prudent orchardist. It is also advisable that the 
orchardist should prepare his own solutions. By 
so doing, he knows the nature and strength of 
his spraying material; besides, it is cheaper, and, 
in addition, he gains an experimental knowledge 
of those details on which his success depends. 

07 



As all these mixtures contain deadly poison, 
strict caution should be observed, during and 
after their use. An apple grower in this neigh- 
borhood lost five valuable milk cows b^^ one of 
his hands leaving in an exposed place a quantity 
of the poison. After the spra^dng is over, all 
empty wooden vessels should be destroyed. In 
order to emphasize this caution. Farmers' Bulle- 
tin No. 247, U. S. Department of Agriculture, is 
again quoted. Page 14: "At all times the great- 
est care should be taken to prevent accident with 
these coinpounds, which are of the most poison- 
ous nature. All packages, boxes, or bottles con- 
taining these materials should be plainly labeled 
and kept under lock. The utensils with which 
the mixtures are prepared should be thoroughly 
cleansed after use." 

We will now notice some of the difficulties 
encountered in spraying from unfavorable con- 
ditions of the weather. The most common of 
these is the wind. A gentle breeze, while it is of 
no advantage, presents no serious obstacle, and 
the operation need not stop on that account. But 
if the wind is high, the spray will miss its mark 
being blown away, and the spra^dng must be 
deferred until a quiet day. Whether this delay 



08 



will be serious is owing to the circumstances of 
the particular case. If the orchard is large and 
the spraying outfit small, damage may result. 
This would surely be the case should the high 
wind continue an unsual length of time, or be 
followed by other bad weather, preventing the 
spraying. But should the orchard be small and 
the spraying outfit competent no serious conse- 
quences need be apprehended. 

The hardest difficulty to overcome, is rainy 
weather at the very time when the orchard is in 
pressing need of spraying. Tliis difficulty fre- 
quently occurs. But it is to the apple worm's 
advantage; for though bad weather may prevail, 
yet it cannot stop the ceaseless working of the 
worm. 

Another difficulty is presented by the lack of 
uniformity of -position of the leaves and apples 
on the trees. Authors on the subject of spray- 
ing write as though all the young apples were 
upturned, inviting and awaiting the reception of 
the spray. If such were the case, the poison could 
be more accurately applied, vastly increasing its 
deadly effects. The fact is, many of the young 
apples and leaves naturally grow downwards. A 
large majority, however, grow in an upward di- 
es 



rection; and to this majority, catching the spray, 
we are chiefly indebted for the destruction of the 
larger part of the worms. A considerable num- 
ber of small, apple-bearing limbs are bent down- 
wards from the weight of the preceding year's 
growth of fruit and foliage. And nearly all 
twigs and small limbs that grow underneath 
large, horizontal branches, extend in a down- 
ward direction. All of these of the downward 
tendency are hard to reach with the spray, or, if 
reached at all, little or none of the spray finds its 
way to the calyx ends of the apples, but neces- 
sarily drips to the ground. These facts being 
clearly understood, the necessity of having a 
thoughtful, careful sprayer becomes very appa- 
rent. When all these difficulties, and others not 
mentioned in this place, are carefully considered, 
we begin to understand why the codling moth 
cannot be exterminated by spraying alone. The 
recent improvements in spray pumps that thrown 
the spray in all directions, can alleviate, but not 
remove, the hardship. 

Having considered some of the difficulties in 
the way of spraying with arsenicals, we will next 
consider the damages which arise from the same 
cause. 

70 



Should the spraymg solution be too strong, 
the tree may be wholly or partially defoliated. 
While death seldom results from this cause, the 
vitality of the tree is seriously impaired, and it is 
safe to infer that its longevity is shortened. 

But there is another danger of a still more 
alarming nature, one that threatens the life of 
the orchard. Scientific investigations have dis- 
covered that arsenical spray flowing down the 
trunk of the tree to its base and roots has caused 
them to become diseased and to decay. Death, 
of course, soon follows when this is the case. A 
clearer insight into this important subject, than 
any the writer can make, will be had by a quota- 
tion from Paddock and Whipple on "Fruit Grow- 
ing in Arid Regions," pages 360-2: "Root-rot.— 
Orchardists and experiment station workers 
alike have been puzzled for several years over 
the cause of root-rot in apple and pear trees. The 
name conveys at once the condition in which the 
trees are found. In some cases no injury is to 
be seen above ground, but when the tree dies, it 
will be found to be girded just below ground, and 
most of the roots are decayed. In other cases, 
strips of dead bark extend up the trunks and 
often into the larger branches. In such cases, 



71 



llic first indication of disease is the appearance 
on trunks and branches of dark brown spots 
caused by the exudation of sap. As the disease 
progresses, the bark dries down to the wood, all 
of the involved part taking on the dark color. 
Such trees usually ripen their foliage early in the 
fall, and the bark of the branches has a peculiar 
reddish coat. Many trees die in mid-summer, 
with fruit and foliage clinging, the second after 
symptoms of trouble were noticed. The inner 
wood of the branches of some of the affecied 
trees is dark-colored, or black-hearted, a condi- 
tion which has popularly been supposed to re- 
sult from injury by frost alone. Another symp- 
tom which seems to be associated with this trou- 
ble is the splitting of the bark on the trunks. 
Such wounds bleed profusely, and it may be tliat 
some of the excessive bleeding which sometimes 
takes place from wounds made in pruning, may 
be due to the same cause. In all cases, the start- 
ing point is either at or below the surface of the 
ground. Fungi may be responsible for some of 
the dead trees, but this has never been definitely 
determined. The common pear-blight may also 
work in the roots of apple and pear trees, but 
this is unusual. 

72 



"The authors have spent much time over this 
all too common disease, but they were unable to 
arrive at any conclusion. Fortunately, our co- 
worker. Dr. W. P. Headden, became interested 
in the subject, and in a recent bulletin he gives 
the results of his investigations. He found upon 
analysis that the inner bark and wood of affected 
trees, not dead trees, contained a large percen- 
tage of arsenic, as much as 12.77 parts in a mil- 
lion. All fruit-growers know that even a small 
amount of soluble arsenic in the soil is fatal to 
vegetation, but they have felt safe in using large 
quantities of the various arsenical sprays for the 
reason that these forms of arsenic were supposed 
to be insoluble. It has been the custom in some 
sections to spray from six to twelve times a sea- 
son for the codling moth. The appliances were 
often crude in form, consequently much spray 
was wasted and was deposited on the ground. 
Naturally the greatest accumulation is around 
the base of the tree where the injury occurs. 
Analysis of soil taken from near the base of the 
trees, to the depth of one foot, shows that arsenic 
has accumulated in varying amounts up to 61.3 
parts of arsenic acid in a milhon of soil. 

"Even such large amounts of arsenic would 

78 



be harmless if it remained insoluble, as had been 
supposed. Dr. Headden finds, however, that the 
alkali salt solutions, which are abundant in all 
arid soils, are solvents of arsenic and so are con- 
stantly bringing this extremely poisonous mate- 
rial into solution. This action is of course greater 
in some soils than in others, depending on the 
constituents present. 

"This condition is indeed serious. We have no 
poison other than the arsenic preparation with 
which the codling moth may be successfully com- 
bated, and if we are to grow apples and pears 
successfully, spraying cannot be dispensed with. 
In the bulletin mentioned above. Dr. Headden 
sums up the situation as follows: "I have no 
remedy to suggest for either condition. Preven- 
tive measures are, so far as I can see, our only 
recourse. Those which suggest themselves to 
me are: To remove the arsenic-laden soil from 
about the crown of the tree and replace it with 
fresh soil; to use standard brands of lead arsen- 
ate in preference to the arsenite of lime or white 
arsenic, sal-soda, and lime; to use as little lead 
arsenate as possible. I have been told that good 
results have been obtained by using 2% and even 
2 pounds of pasty lead arsenate to 100 gallons of 

74 



water, but the spraying must be done thoroughly. 
Spray no oftener than is absolutely necessary. If 
I am not mistaken, Professor Gillette has found 
that 95 per cent of the effect of the whole sea- 
son's spraying was obtained by the first spraying 
when thoroughly well done. Some device should 
be used to prevent the spray material from run- 
ning down the trunk and collecting at its base, 
or it would be still better to make provision for 
gathering the whole of the drip. Water rich in 
alkalies should not be allowed to flow close 
enough to the tree to permit of the deposition of 
the alkalies in the soil about the trunk of the tree. 
Concentrated lye, if used to kill woolly aphis, 
should not be applied to the soil at the crown of 
the tree or permitted to flow down and collect 
there." 

From the statements in the above passage, it 
cannot be doubted that arsenical sprays have a 
deadly effect upon vegetable life. The difficulty 
as presented is this: If we do not spray with ar- 
senicals, we cannot successfully raise apples and 
pears. If we continue to spray with arsenicals, 
the orchards must ultimately be destroyed in the 
arid regions at least. 

It will be noticed that preventive measures 

75 



are recommended. One is remove the poisoned 
earth and replace with fresh earth. The details 
to be performed to effect this purpose are so on- 
erous and numerous that it may well be pro- 
nounced impracticable. Many roots of the tree 
would be broken and destroyed in delving around 
the base of the tree for the poisoned soil. The 
excavations around the trees would weaken their 
foundations, admitting large quantities of water 
from drenching rains, causing them to be easily 
blown over by the heavy winds. Procuring fresh 
earth might not be a difficult task; but where 
would you deposit the poisoned earth removed? 
If in a running stream, the water would be 
poisoned. If on the commons or highway, you 
would be prosecuted for a nuisance. If in your 
field or pasture, your livestock would be pois- 
oned. If in an out-house, under lock and key, 
the ugly, dangerous mass would increase in di- 
mensions from year to year; a constant source of 
watchfulness and anxiety. 

Other objections could be stated, but these will 
suffice. 

Another preventive measure suggested is to 
collect the drip, preventing it running down the 
trunk and settling at the base of the tree, where 
the rot first begins. 

76 



No device is mentioned to catch the drip. 
Large cloth bands could be used to absorb the 
portion that runs down the trunk; and this 
would be the greater portion. 

Cloth spreads could be placed on the ground 
encircling the tree to arrest that which drips 
from the extended limbs. It is very evident that 
these are cumbersome remedies; the more so, 
when we reflect that they must be continued 
from year to year, and as often as you spray in 
the season. 

When we consider the vast amounts of ar- 
senical poisons, which can be measured by car- 
load lots, now stored away in the United States, 
the ultimate destination of which is our orchard 
lands, it is really discouraging. Yes, these mil- 
lions of tons of poison are eventually to be 
dumped upon our orchard lands; there to min- 
gle with and become a part of the soil. 

It is imperative that we cast about for a new 
and more efficient remedy. So far as we are 
concerned with the codhng moth, the apple mag- 
got, the curculio, and all other insects that infest 
the fruit, it will be shown in the subsequent 
chapters, not only how they can be controlled, 
but exterminated. But there are diseases which 

77 



infest the leaves or bodies of the trees which can 
only be successfully combated by the use of some 
kind of arsenical preparation. The apple scab is 
a conspicuous form of one of these diseases. What 
we need is a spray that will control or eradicate 
these pests, without injury to the tree or to its 
fruit and foliage, and, if possible, fertilize the 
soil by its drip. This, indeed, would be an ideal 
spray. 



78 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Cold Water Remedy. 

The initial step that led to the discovery of 
this remedy, was the reflection that all living 
creatures that move upon the surface of the 
earth require a constant supply of air, as an es- 
sential to their existence; and that death must 
ensue, if deprived of air a sufficient length of 
time. The next question was of easy solution. 
Its application to the codling moth, in the sim- 
plest, cheapest, and most efficient way. A few 
experiments with the codling moth, in the larval 
form, developed the fact, that no apple worm, 
young or old, small or large, could survive an im- 
mersion in water, or any other liquid, for a term 
of forty-eight hours. Rut it must not be sup- 
posed that this successful experiment was ar- 
rived at, all at once. Several experiments of 
like kind but of shorter duration preceded it. 
About one-half dozen wormy apples were placed 
in a small tin can; then water was added, and a 
weight to sink the apples to the bottom of the 
can, the water standing three or four inches deep 

79 



above the apples. After a short time, the worms 
began to put out of their holes, to see what strange 
things were going on out of doors. One by one, 
a majority of them left their holes entirely, and 
sank to the bottom of the can; there they re- 
mained motionless and distended, apparently 
dead. After the lapse of six hours, by the clock, 
the water was carefully poured off, leaving the 
worms in the can. Each apple was then opened 
with a sharp knife, finding one or two worms, in 
the same condition, which were placed in the ves- 
sel with the others. After a few hours, all had 
revived. Similar experiments were performed 
with similar results. The respective times of the 
immersions being twelve, twenty-four and thirty- 
six hours. After the thirty-six-hour test, and a 
sufficient time having been allowed for revival, 
a large majority were found dead;, one or two 
revived, but were too feeble to live; and out of 
the original number of twelve only two reported, 
ready for orchard duty. As already stated, the 
forty-eight-hour test was completely satisfactory. 
It is advised that each orchardist should 
make tests of his own. He will then proceed with 
that confidence which arises from knowledge self- 
acquired. And the reason showing that the ap- 
ple-grower who tries this remedy should make 



80 



his own experiments, is that tlie worm's power 
of endurance may vary with the chmate. 

The next most rational question which arises, 
is. How shall a sufficient quantity of worms be 
possessed to make a paying application of the 
remedy, and what expeditious arrangements shall 
be made? This can be done more easily than 
some may imagine. It can be done when the 
fruit is first thinned in the spring. All first-class 
apple-growers thin their fruit every year. Al- 
though the necessity of thinning fruit is a con- 
ceded question, yet a few good authorities will be 
briefly quoted. Prof. Bailey says, in Field Notes, 
page 58: "This practice of thinning fruit is a 
profitable one, especially in the instance of such 
heavy bearers as the Baldwin. If the tours of the 
orchard are frequent, the work of thinning is not 
burdensome." The professor also speaks of a 
drove of hogs following the operator, and assist- 
ing by eating the wormy apples. 

In another place, in the same book, this pro- 
fessor speaks of thinning fruit as a necessity to 
profitable results. 

From Fruit Growing in Arid Begions, by Pad- 
dock and Whipple, page 144: "Experiments have 
shown that it pays to thin apples. The fruit is 
improved in both size and color, the tree bears 

81 



more regularly, and those that might break un- 
der heavy loads are saved." 

These last quoted authorities also speak of 
gathering the faulty and wormy apples and tak- 
ing them out of the orchard to be destroyed. But 
in what manner? To be fed to the hogs and 
chickens, as is usually the case. The hogs and 
chickens, however, do not devour all of these 
faulty apples. It is a common thing to see waste 
apples lying around unconsumed, or partially so, 
in the hog pens and poultry yards. Or, what is 
still worse, the surplus is stored away in boxes 
and barrels to be used as occasion requires. Many 
worms, as a matter of course, mature under these 
conditions, and accept the opportunity to escape 
and spin their cocoons in adjacent places. So, 
when the " actual effect is critically considered, 
this practice does not serve as a means of destruc- 
tion, but of propagation. Results prove the cor- 
rectness of this conclusion; for the worm is not 
on the decline, but the increase. Every year we 
read of new acquisitions being made to its rav- 
ages. Feeding to hogs, chickens or any other kind 
of animals, is a failure, as a means of destruction, 
and should be abandoned. One escaped worm, if 
not interfered with, is sufficient to stock every 
apple orchard in the world. Then, how quickly 

82 



can this be done, when by this practice, you al- 
low them to escape by hundreds. In order to be 
as explicit as possible on this subject, and to 
avoid misconstruction, it is not claimed that hogs 
and chickens do not destroy the worms that they 
actually consume, but that many of the wormy 
apples are left untouched from which, as above 
explained, the evil consequences ensue. As a 
means of destroying the apple worm, it is better 
to abandon the practice altogether than to allow 
even one worm to escape. 

We will now proceed to unfold a simple, cheap 
and efficient plan, within the reach of every ap- 
ple-grower, which, if faithfully executed, will de- 
stroy every apple worm; and this means extermi- 
nation. The bandage system, or rather device, 
has already been mentioned as a valuable adjunct 
in fighting the codling moth. While it is not ab- 
solutely essential, yet its use is recommended, 
which has already been explained. If used, the 
bandages should be placed around the trees dur- 
ing the last part of the winter, or the first of the 
spring, so as to be out of the way of the other 
work. 

While spraying, in connection with the water 
remedy, is not positively necessary, still it is a 
powerful auxiliary and should not be omitted, in 

83 



case the orchard is badly infested. If the worms 
have just made their appearance or the orchard 
is hghtly infested, it can be safely dispensed with. 
But, in the first case, where the worms, from pre- 
vious indications, will be plentiful, give one good 
spraying. Then, if properly followed up by the 
water remedy, no more spraying will be neces- 
sary for this or any other season. 

Spraying, when "thoroughly well done," pre- 
vents a large part of the first generation of worms 
from entering the apples. Under the water rem- 
edy, the worms of the first generation must have 
entered the apples before it can be applied. Then, 
if diligently used, it successfully prevents the at- 
tacks of any subsequent generation. 

To begin; take one oi two barj'els of ordinary 
size, the number depending on the size of the or- 
chard, and fill about half full with water and 
place at convenient distances in the orchard. A 
weight of some kind should be provided to sinl^ 
the apples. This weight should be of such form 
and material that while it sinks the apples it, at 
the same time, renders it impossible for any 
worm to rise to the surface. Though this, as will 
be found, will rarely ever be the case. Screen 
wire, such as is used for doors and windows, is 
excellent for this purpose. Observe carefully 



84 



when the worms first begin their work. Do not 
be in a hurry; others will soon appear. The ob- 
ject is to get as many as possible of the first gen- 
eration to work and fairly under headway before 
the attack is begun. Remeinber that each worm 
remains in the apple about three weeks before it 
matures. Now allow sufficient time to work over 
the orchard before the worms that first appeared 
have had time to mature. This, of course, will 
be within less than three weeks from the time of 
the first appearance of the worms. If the or- 
chard is not worked over in this time, some of 
the older worms will mature, leave the apple and 
enter the cocoon state for the second generation. 
Conditions being favorable, select a sufficient 
force of careful and attentive hands, provided 
with sacks or baskets. If the rows are very long, 
a cart or truck, drawn by one or two horses, 
should be driven down the middles; and into the 
beds of these vehicles the sacks or baskets, when 
filled with wormy apples, could be very conven- 
iently emptied; and from thense into the water 
barrels, following the instructions just given. If 
the trees are tall, each hand should be provided 
with a ladder. Each hand should take and con- 
fine himself to one row, in order to prevent con- 
fusion in the work and two or more hands look- 



85 



ing over the same apples. When the orchard is 
large, many hands will necessarily be employed, 
and a foreman should be appointed, who should 
not engage in, but, at all times, supervise the 
work. 

Gathering the wormy apples and thinning the 
apples can be safely done at the first working, if 
the orchard is not badly infested with worms. But 
should the orchard be badly infested, it is safer 
not to thin to a stand until the second working; 
for you may pluck the very apple which the 
worm would assail, causing an attack upon the 
apples left for a stand. This would rarely occur 
after the second working, especially if the work 
was well done. Suppose, during the first opera- 
tion, one sound apple is thinned from a cluster of 
three sound apples, leaving two for a stand, and 
on the second working it is discovered that an ap- 
ple worm has entered one of these apples, neces- 
sitating its destruction and leaving only one for a 
stand. This caution may have the appearance of 
spinning out details with excessive minuteness; 
but when it is considered that this condition of 
things is happening in various parts of the or- 
chard, causing unnecessary loss, the caution ap- 
pears in its true light. 

How many times should the orchard be worked 

86 



over? As many times, at least, as there are gen- 
erations of apple worms in your section. The 
state of things in the orchard, ascertained by 
actual inspection, is the true guide to the number 
of times it should be worked. 

All badly infested trees should be tagged, in 
order to readily distinguish them on the next 
working, when they should be given very careful 
attention. This will avoid all possibility of such 
trees becoming a nucleus for the spread of the 
codling moths. 

As to the length of time the worms should re- 
main immersed in the barrels of water, it is a 
convenient plan to allow them to remain in this 
condition until the next working. Then remove 
the apples and the worms, carefully examining 
both. All the worms will be found to be dead, 
which will renew confidence in this novel cru- 
sade against the worms. 

A very convenient method of getting the 
worms out of the barrels is first to remove the 
apples, then pour the water in the barrel through 
a sieve into another vessel, the water being first 
well stirred; for the worms, as has been stated, 
lie at the bottom of the vessel. By this simple 
means, will be seen at least three-fourths of the 

87 



result of the operation. The remaining worms 
will be found dead in the apples. 

The curculio and apple maggot are entitled to 
consideration with reference to this water treat- 
ment. Their habits will first be noted. The 
young apples are attacked by the curculio beetle, 
which has a long snout, with which it pierces or 
penetrates to the inside of the apple. At the bot- 
tom of the cavity it deposits its eggs, which soon 
hatch into larva. They remain in this state feed- 
ing on the apple four or five weeks. They then 
enter the pupal stage within the apple and reinain 
two or three weeks longer, when they emerge 
from the apple, a full-fldged beetle, and hiber- 
nate in this form. There is but one brood each 
year. So the curculio remains within the young 
apple through all the different stages, from egg 
to maturity. Its entire stay in the apple con- 
sumes six or eight weeks. Every day of this time 
it is exposed to detection by the apple-grower. 
Could a better opportunity be asked for its cap- 
ture and destruction? 

Prof. Weed, in his work on Insects and Insec- 
ticides, has this to say of the apple maggot: "The 
adult of the apple maggot is a two-winged fly that 
appears early in summer and deposits eggs in the 
partially grown apples. These eggs are inserted, 

88 



one ill a place, through the skin of tlie fruit. In 
a few days they hatch into maggots tliat tunnel 
the fruit in all directions, becoming full grown in 
five or six weeks, when they are whitish or green- 
ish-white and about a quarter of an inch long. 
They then leave the fruit, and generally go into 
the soil an inch or less, where they change into 
the pupal state. They remain in this condition 
until the following summer, when they emerge as 
flies again." The professor also says: "The only 
thorough-going remedy is that of destroying 
wind-falls." It will be noted that as this insect 
remains in the apple five or six weeks an excels 
lent opportunity is afforded for its capture. 

Not being troubled in this section by either 
of these insects, no precise rule can be given for 
the destruction of either, by drowning. Those 
who are bothered with this pest can easily deter- 
mine this point by a few experiments. 

. In going over the orchard, gathering worm- 
infested apples, care should be taken to gather 
all fallen apples. Not a single one should be left. 
They are pest-breeders. 



89 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Hot Water Remedy. 

A quick method, but somewhat more expen- 
sive, yet deadly sure to destroy all insects that 
penetrate or adhere to the apple, is what may 
properly be called the hot-water-method. Place 
a caldron at some suitable place in your orchard, 
partly filled with water, and heat to the boiling 
point. Into this boiling caldron empty the worm- 
infested apples and let them remain until the ap- 
ples are of the same temperature at the core as 
the boiling water, or until they are nearly cooked. 
It is self-evident that this remedy is all sufficient 
to kill, in a very short time, any conceivable form 
of insect life. The writer has tried it repeatedly 
on the apple worm. The worms never leave the 
apples, but die distended where the heat over- 
takes them. 

The question of expense is about all, and this 
is a mere trifle, to determine the adoption of the 
one or the other method. All that has been said 
so far on this water remedy applies to the young 
and growing apple. 

Here it may be remarked that this remedy, 

90 



especially the hot water remedy, applies to any 
other fruit or vegetable equally as well as to the 
apple. 

We now come to gathering the apple crop, 
which is the most important phase of the subject. 
If no active measures have been taken against 
the enen^ up to this time, still he can be extermi- 
nated at this late stage by the water remedy alone, 
if judiciously applied. In the last generation of 
worms are generally all the preceding genera- 
tions. So, if you destroy this last generation, 
there can be no subsequent generation. Now. 
there is a time in the fall of the year when the 
whole of the codling moth family is in the form 
of the apple worm, and all these worms are in the 
apples. In this state of things, the part the or- 
chardist is to play is quite clear: He must gather 
the wormy apples before the worms mature and 
leave the apples to enter the cocoon state, to ma- 
ture the following spring. How, in the opinion 
of the writer, to best effect this purpose will now 
be explained. No extra preparations, with two 
exceptions, need be made, and these are very 
simple ones. One is the water barrel, which 
should be placed near the apple stand where the 
apples are graded, boxed, etc.; the other is an 
extra sack, or, what is more convenient, the divi- 

91 



sion of one sack into two compartments, one for 
the good and the other for the bad apples. The 
good apples should, of course, be placed on the 
stand or other convenient place, the bad ones 
into the water barrels. 

If the worm-infested apples are numerous, 
the cold water method is preferable, as these ap- 
ples, when the worms are drowned, can be put 
to some useful purpose. But if the wormy ap- 
ples are scarce, as will surely be the case if the 
preceding work has been well done, it is best to 
make short work of them, by casting them into 
the boiling caldron. In order to make a clean 
sweep, there should not be a single apple left on 
tree or ground. 

In no event, should a wormy apple be boxed 
or carried to the cellar, for this means propaga- 
tion and consequent dissemination. And why 
should you wish to do either? Yet, it is the com- 
mon practice to dump the wormy apples in the 
cellar, as though we wished to preserve the breed. 

The caution to have the doors and windows 
well protected with screen wire is good; for, in 
case, by accident or negligence, a wormy apple 
is carried to the cellar, they will afford an oppor- 
tunity to capture the moth in the spring. 

Those who are inclined to think this process 

92 



too tedious and laborious, should be reminded 
that with very little additional labor every apple 
in the orchard, though they should run into the 
millions, is, or should be, handled by human 
hands and gazed upon by human eyes. Then, 
while so doing, why not separate the worm-in- 
fested apples from the sound ones, just as you 
separate the small apples from the large ones in 
the process of grading? There is really more 
profit in the first case than in the last. The addi- 
tional labor referred to is not leaving any apples 
on the trees nor on the ground. 

In the Northern states, and in Canada, where 
there is only one generation of the codling moth 
to the season, it could be overcome by this 
method alone with very little trouble. Further 
South, where there are two and three generations 
to the season, more difficulty will be experi- 
enced; consequently, more care and energy 
should be used- 
It will likely be asked, why not use some 
liquid stronger than water? Why not use coal 
oil, carbolic acid or vinegar? Simply because 
water is cheaper and at the hands of all. Every 
cent added to the cost of production diminishes 
that much the profits of the apple crop. The 



93 



most desirable remedy is that which is cheapest 
and most efficacious. 

Now, a word of caution to those who have 
not been visited by the apple worm. Do not 
fancy, as some have done, that because you have 
escaped thus far the codling moth will never pay 
you a visit. Under existing conditions, there is 
no way to keep him out of your orchard. The 
means of dissemination are too numerous and 
uncontrolled. In fact, at present, free license is 
given to raise them at will and scatter them to 
the four winds. 

It is much easier to check and destroy the 
worm on his first entrance into the orchard than 
to oust him after he has once established a col- 
ony. To prevent the founding of this colony of 
codling moths among the trees, 3^ou should be 
on the alert. It is easily done. All that is re- 
quired is a little forethought, followed up by 
prompt action. At apple gathering time, or at 
thinning time, provide each hand with strips of 
cloth, to be tagged to each tree on which the ap- 
ple worm, or any sign of the codling moth, is 
first discovered. Instruct the hands to report 
these facts immediately. Proceed to the tree at 
once, examine the supposed infested fruit of this 
tree and all the apples on it and on those for a 

94 



considerable space around. If the worms are 
really there, use every possible precaution, even 
if it amounts to stripping the infested tree and 
the neighi^oring ones of all their fruit. Spray 
thoroughly and keep a close w^atch on this local- 
ity throughout the entire season. Do the same 
on the following season. Should the discovery 
be made in the fall at gathering time, spraying 
will not be necessary at that time, but it should 
surely be well done next spring. All that can be 
done at this time is to scrutinize the fruit of this 
tree and neighboring ones very carefully and see 
that the tree is well tagged for identification the 
following spring. As a still further precaution, 
the applet-grower might, if he so desires, set these 
suspicious apples apart from the rest, in order to 
undergo a second and double scrutiny. So much 
particularity on one point may indeed excite a 
smile, but had the writer taken his own advice 
he would have saved much trouble and expense. 
Is he the only one who has reaped the fruits of 
his negligence? 

As regards the management of the bandages, 
sufficient directions have already been given. 
These bandages will serve as indices to the char- 
acter of the preceding work. When many worms 
or cocoons are found under them, their use should 



95 



be continued, and your dilligence renewed; for 
you may know that the first working-over was 
imperfectly done. In this case, you have been 
guilty of negligence in one or two particulars. 
You either began the work so late that many of 
the wormy apples had fallen, from which the 
worms emerged and sheltered under the band- 
ages, or the gathering was so carelessly done that 
many of the worm-infested apples were left be- 
hind, from which the same results naturally 
followed. 

If, on examination of the bandages, you should 
discover no worms, it is clear that the gathering 
process has been thoroughly done, and their fu- 
ture use may safely be discontinued, thus cancel- 
ing this item of expense. 

On the subject of careless work, it is useful 
to observe that the hands shoula be required to 
work the rows of trees in strict numerical order. 
By this means, each hand would have, through- 
out the entire work, either an even or an odd 
row, and bj^ counting the rows 3^ou could very 
readily ascertain the party who had been guilty 
of negligence. 



96 



CHAPTER XV. 

Codling Moth-House. 
Another device wliich could be very success- 
fully and conveniently used, is what may be prop- 
erly termed a codling moth-house. To prepare 
such a builaing, construct a wooden frame, in 
the form of a square, or in that of a right-angle 
parallelogram, about 7 or 8 feet Mgh and as long 
and as wide as the exigencies of the case may 
require. Floor and cover neatly. In the ends 
and sides, about six feet from the floor, place 
glass windows. Near the top, in the side or end 
of the building, make an opening about 12 or 18 
inches square. In this opening insert a box, open 
at both ends, two or three feet long. The inside 
end should point obliquely towards the floor of 
the building. Near the middle, or the inside of 
the box or channel, should be placed a valve; and 
so constructed, that the weight of the apples, 
when poured into the outer end of the receptacle, 
would lift the valve, letting the apples fall on the 
floor below. The apples having passed, the 
weight and inclination of the valve cause it to 
close down to its proper place. To enter this 

07 



house as occasion may require, there should be 
two doors, an inside and an outside door. The 
inner door should be several feet from and oppo- 
site to the outer door. The space between should 
be walled up and the top covered. In the hall 
thus made there should be sufficient space for 
one or two persons to easily move about. Both 
doors should open on the inside, having glass 
windows in their upper halves. The house is 
now complete and ready for use. The size of the 
house should, of course, correspond to that of 
the orchard. All the parts should' be so closely 
fitted together as to preclude the possibility of 
escape of worm or moth. 

When infested apples are put into this house, 
during the spring or summer months, the larva 
will soon mature into moths, which will imme- 
diately begin to flutter against the windows, 
where they may be readily seen and destroyed. 
On entering the house to kill the moths, or for 
any other purpose, care should be taken to pre- 
vent the escape of the moths. On entering the 
house, the window of the outside door should be 
carefully examined before opening to see if per- 
chance any moths should have gotten into the 
hall; this, however, should never be the case. If 
it should occur, you may know at once that the 



98 



hall is not properly constructed, and you should 
immediately repair the defect. Once in the hall, 
close securely the outside door. In like manner, 
proceed with the inner door to the main floor of 
the building, where you can destroy the moths 
at pleasure. When you leave the building, care- 
fully close the inner door, then examine the win- 
dows of both doors and the sides of the hall, de- 
stroying any moths that may be discovered in 
the hall. You may then safely leave the hall, 
closing the outside door. Not more apples than 
are required for immediate consumption should 
be taken out at one time. By this means, any 
immature worms may be readily detected and 
destroyed. In fact, this should always be done, 
in whatever form the insect may be when discov- 
ered. If fed to hogs, not more should be given 
than thej^ will ravenously consume. Never should 
one be left on the ground, for reasons too obvious 
to state. 

It is not absolutely necessary that you should 
enter the house to destroy the moths, for being 
short-lived they will soon die in their confine- 
ment. 

When the apples are put in the house during 
the fall months, the larva will leave the apples as 
in the summer months, and enter into the cocoon 



99 



state on the sides of the building, but will not 
evolve into moths until next spring. The apple- 
grower nia}^ then enter and wreak his vengence 
on his direst enemy, or leave them alone to die 
of inactivity and want of business. 

However, the larva may be forced into pre- 
mature development in the dead of winter, by 
raising. the teinperature as explained under the 
head of Winter Remedies. 



100 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Dirt Remedy. 

Another novel remedy which may be success- 
fully used to overcome the codling moth is what 
the writer is pleased to call the Dirt Remedy. 
Like the Water Remedy, it is cheap and at the 
hands of all. 

Dig a trench about two feet deep and three 
feet in width. The length should be sufficient to 
hold the estimated quantity of infected apples to 
be treated. The bottom should be smooth, the 
sides and ends perpendicular. Over the bottom 
spread a layer of wormy apples. Over this spread 
a layer of dirt, about five or six inches deep. 
Press down firmly with the feet, leaving no air 
pockets, and so on until the trench is filled, the 
last layer should be pulverized dirt. The last 
layer of apples should not come to the top of the 
trench. Now cover with dirt, in considerable 
quantities, and be sure to press down very firmly. 

In due time, the worm will mature, and leav- 
ing the apple weave its cocoon, formed of a mix- 
ture of dirt and fibre. The cocoon formed under 
these conditions is a dirty, spongy mass and much 



101 



larger than that woven by the worm when un- 
molested. Next, the moth is evolved; and, being 
surrounded completely by dirt, it is perfectly 
helpless and soon perishes. 

If loose dirt is left over the excavation, the 
worm will work upward to the surface, and thus 
escape. 

Some difficulty may be experienced in sandy 
soil, owing to its loose nature, and consequently 
additional labor to give it sufficient compactness 
to hold down the worms. 

Sure death as this remedy is to the codling 
moth, yet it should not be resorted to if there is 
any intention of using the infected apples. For, 
as before observed, the cocoon under this treat- 
ment is formed partly of dirt and resembles very 
much a small lump of dirt, so much so that it 
would evade detection from the inexperienced 
eye. So, in removing the dirt to get the apples, 
you would unavoidably throw many of the co- 
coons to the surface, where in due time, un- 
noticed, they would develop into moths. We will 
now show how the difficulty can be very easily 
and beneficially obviated. Dig a trench, or make 
an excavation in the ground, somewhat in the 
form of an ordinary grave, of any size or length 
that you may see proper, only the offsets should 

102 



be nearer the surface than in those of the grave. 
You will thus have a trench within a trench. 
Now begin to fill the inner trench at one end with 
infected apples, until the apples are near the up- 
per edges of the trench. Each batch of apples 
should fill that portion of the inner trench into 
which they are emptied, so they can be covered 
before going after the next load. Over the de- 
posit thus made, spread a piece of cloth, com- 
pletely covering the apples and tucked down at 
the sides and end in groves made for that pur- 
pose. Allow the cloth to extend a little beyond 
the deposit of apples and rest on the bottom of 
the inner trench. Over the cloth place plank, 
closely fitting and extending as far as the first 
deposit of apples; then cover the plank, covering 
well with dirt, and so on, until the trench is com- 
pletely filled and covered, from end to end. The 
cloth may be cut into strips to correspond to the 
length of each batch, or it may be of the whole 
length of the trench. Cloth of a dark color is 
best, as the contrast formed by the cream-colored 
cocoon that is soon to be placed thereon will 
cause it to be more readily distinguished. 

Never take more apples from the excavation 
than are intended for immediate use. Remember 
there are in these faulty apples worms of all ages 



103 



and sizes, and that it takes this worm from three 
to four weeks to mature after it has entered the 
apple. Of course, if the apples are taken from 
the trench and left for a considerable time in ex- 
posed places, the young worms on maturing will 
leave the apples and hibernate in or near the or- 
chard, and this means trouble in the spring. 

To remove the apples, begin at one end of the 
trench, and if any worms are seen destroy them; 
roll the cloth, having the lower side within the 
roll; put the plank on the outside of the trench 
for future use. On leaving the trench, cut off 
evenly the cloth to the extent of the apples re- 
moved, leaving five or six inches of the cloth 
resting on the bottom of the trench and covering 
the apples behind it; then fill up well with dirt 
the opening made in taking out the apples. The 
strip of cloth cut off should remain rolled and 
immediately burned. 

At least a month before the pupas begin to 
develop into moth in the spring, the apples should 
all be removed and consumed, the cloth all burned 
and the excavation well closed with packed dirt. 
This last operation will effectually prevent the 
escape of any moths that may have developed 
from pupas left by chance in the bottom of the 
excavation. 

10-4 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Pruning, Auxiliary Remedy. 

It is not the writer's intention to enter into 
the subject of pruning generally. It may be said 
briefly that an orchard tree can be so pruned as 
to serve several beneficial purposes. And hap- 
pily all these beneficial objects can by the skillful 
operator be made to combine into one harmon- 
ious whole. Such a tree should not be too tall. 
The fruit, in gathering or trimming, will not need 
the use of long and cumbrous ladders. The ex- 
tending limbs will not be so close that large quan- 
tities of fruit will be knocked off in the act of 
gathering. Standing on the outside, can easily 
be distinguished the perfect from the imperfect 
fruit, facilitating the handling of the fruit for 
whatever purpose. A tree so pruned may be 
aptly styled the perfection of the pruner's art; 
and in gathering wormy apples for the water 
treatment, the work would be greatly facilitated. 
In many cases, the worm sign on an apple can 
be distinguished at a distance of thirty or even 
forty feet. Care should be taken in shaping the 

105 



young orchard to make easy both vision and ap- 
proach. Old orchards could be vastly improved 
in this respect, but it should not be attempted 
only by the most skillful operator; for an old or- 
chard, once out of shape, generally remains so. 



100 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Winter Remedies. 

A treatise of this kind, the principal object of 
wliich is to show how the codling moth can be 
exterminated, would be incomplete, did it not 
dwell on the remedies that may be employed dur- 
ing the winter months to accomplish this end. 

This portion of the subject may be very ap- 
propriately divided into three different heads: 
Treatment of the soil, the trees, and an increase 
of the temperature to prematurely force the de- 
velopment of the codling moth. We have al- 
ready observed that the codling moth sometimes 
enters the pupal state in the soil of the orchard, 
instead of ascending the trees for this purpose, 
and that a large majority of the apple maggot 
family pupate in the soil near the base of the 
trees. Now, the object should be to break up 
their winter quarters, force them out, helpless 
and unprepared, to perish from the severity of 
the weather or to be devoured by rapacious birds. 
To effect this purpose, the writer uses a wide- 
spread two-horse cultivator, carrying eighteen 
spring teeth, with which he rapidly sweeps over 
the orchard, plowing in cross-wise directions. 
When, judging from the condition of the weather, 

107 



these orchard pests are snugly housed up for the 
winter, the harrow or cultivator should be used 
over the orchard. Follow it up by two or three 
additional stirrings during the winter. The more 
the soil is stirred and tossed about, the less the 
probability of survival until the spring sets in. 
In addition to this wholesale wreckage of the pu- 
pas, you have materially improved the condition 
of the soil. 

After this cleaning up downstairs, let us pro- 
ceed upstairs after the codling moth. In fact, we 
must follow him wherever he goes with deadly 
purpose, well put into execution. Push him, push 
him, summer and winter alike! Allow him no 
peace. What else can he expect? He is an in- 
truder in our orchards, lives on another's labor, 
and appropriates our goods without our consent. 

We have learned that he hides in the winter 
months under the rough bark of the tree, in its 
crevices and holes. All these indicate their sim- 
ple and appropriate remedies. Rub off the bark, 
leaving the branches and trunk smooth. If this 
is well done, all the bark and cocoons will fall to 
the ground. If any of the cocoons escape your 
observation and adhere to the trees, they will fall 
an easy prey to the birds, as will also those on 
the ground. Fill up the crevices and holes with 

108 



putty or paint to an even surface with that of 
the tree. This fihing will last for several years, 
or until the growth of the tree closes over the 
holes and crevices. It serves more than one use- 
ful purpose. It safely imprisons any insect con- 
cealed therein; prevents the entrance of damp- 
ness, causing decay and fungus growth, and ef- 
fectually closes up a favorite hiding place for 
insects in the future. 

It is a fact, well known to many orchard men, 
that the codling moth is more abundant in the 
spring when the winter was hard than when 
mild. For a while this question was puzzling 
The proper solution appears when it is remem- 
bered that cold weather retards, while warm 
weather hastens, the development of the codling 
moth. As a consequence, a severe winter holds 
back the development until the spring is fairly 
open. On the other hand, the warmth of a mild 
winter would prematurely force the development 
of the moth, when it must inevitably perish be- 
fore spring from lack of means of subsistence 
and the recurring spells of freezing weather. 
These facts suggest the idea that by creating an 
artificial heat in the orchard during the winter 
months, all, or nearly all, the pupas could be 
forced to evolve into the moth state, and then be 



109 



destroyed. The required temperature could be 
raised by the use of smudge pots, in the same 
manner as orcliard heating against the frost, or 
by log fires in those regions where timber is 
abundant. Nature could be made to assist in the 
operation by applying the artificial heat during 
the warm spells of winter. Thus, by combining 
nature with art, the expense of applying the latter 
would be much reduced. Indian summer would 
afford the most favorable opportunity in those 
states that have this kind of weather. And as 
this peculiar phase of weather is periodical, and 
its duration regular, timely arrangements could 
be made to have the artificial heat run with the 
whole of the warm spell. Very little raising of 
the temperature would be required through the 
day. Nature would supply nearl}^ all the warmth 
needed during the day time. But at night, it 
seems, the temperature should be kept uniformly 
with that of the day. By this means, the devel- 
opment of the moth would be rushed, and, as a 
consequence, a very large majority of them inev- 
itably destroyed. 

But this remedy is not confined to the or- 
chard alone. There are good reasons to believe 
that it can be successfully applied in those cases 
where worm-infested apples have been stored in 

110 



out-hoLiscs or in cellars. The mode of applica- 
tion is almost too evident to be mentioned. The 
screen doors and windows have already been 
mentioned. Exclude, as far as practicable, the 
outward temperature. Apply the heat, carefully 
regulated by the assistance of good thermome- 
ters. As the moths develop, kill them as they 
flutter against the screen fastenings, or drive 
them out into the bleak winter to perish. 

As a guide to the length of time the heat 
should be kept up in the orchard or in the cellar, 
remember that it is about twenty days from the 
spinning of the cocoon to the development of the 
moth. 

There are two objections that can be urged 
against this mid-winter operation in the cellar. 
Both of which, are without solid foundation. 
One is this, the heat will cause the fruit to mel- 
low and decay — not all of it. And of what value 
is this partial loss of fruit compared to the bene- 
fits derived from the wholesale slaughter of the 
codling moths? 

As another objection, it will be claimed that 
the moth will naturally develope in the spring, 
and can then be easily killed against the screen 
doors and windows. But what are the actual 
conditions in tlie spring when the moths first be- 
lli 



gin to appear? There are three or four weeks 
difference between the appearance of the first 
and last moths of the first generation. During 
all this time there are daily visits to the cellar by 
home-folks, children, strangers, visitors and 
traders. So the doors are frequently opened, 
sometimes left open, allowing the moths to es- 
cape to tlie orchard. Under the winter-heating 
remedy, the conditions are entirely different. If 
the moth remains in the cellar, as has been 
pointed out, he is easily killed; if he escapes, it is 
to meet death from cold and starvation. 



112 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Legislative Remedies. 
It is clear, beyond dispute, to any one who 
has paid attention to what has been said in the 
preceding chapters, that the remedies recom- 
mended, if diligently applied, will work the ex- 
termination of the codling moth in a given local- 
ity. Rut this particular locality in which the 
moth has been overcome must be protected from 
future incursions, else the victory is only of a 
temporary nature, and the battle must be fought 
over again. The same applies to districts, coun- 
ties, states; yes, to the United States. Effective 
measures must be taken, and rigidly applied, to 
prevent the spread of the moth from the Infected 
districts into those that are not infected; and 
these districts must be so extensive as to embrace 
the whole United States. This prevention can be 
effected only by legislation of a prohibitive char- 
acter. The codling moth must be confined to the 
orchards which present the scene of his depreda- 
tions, until the owners of these orchards, driven 
to extremities, rise up against him, resolved on a 
war of extermination. It is impolitic and unfair. 



113 



utterly so, that the dilligent man, who clears his 
orchard of these insects, should have them forced 
upon him, year after year, by his indolent neigh- 
bor. This indolent orchardist can, and should be 
compelled by appropriate legislation, to keep his 
pests at home. A man has no right to turn a 
herd of swine into his neighbor's cornfield; 
neither has he a right to overrun his apple or- 
chard with codling moths. What prohibitive leg- 
islation, then, is it wisest to adopt? 

Let each state pass a law, making it a misde- 
meanor, with a suitable penalty annxed, for any 
apple-grower or any other person to sell, give 
away or in any manner to remove any worm-in- 
fected fruit from such worm-infected orchard 
In addition, the violator of this law should be 
made liable to an action in damages. In shipping 
fruit, apple-growers should be required to table 
the apple boxes or barrels with their names and 
postoffice addresses, so that in case of a violation 
of the law the guilty parties could be readily 
traced. 

The states should also pass suitable laws to 
prevent the importation of worm-infected apples 
into their borders. 

The Congress should be induced to make it a 
violation of federal law, under its inter-state com- 



114 



merce jurisdiction, to ship or transport worm- 
infected fruit from one state into another; the 
same or similar provisions should be made to ap- 
ply to the importation of wormy fruit from for- 
eign countries into the United States. 

This legislation, it seems, could be brought 
about by the assistance of our fruit associations 
and that of our leading and influential fruit- 
growers; many of the last mentioned are now in 
Congress. 

When such legislation is secured, foreign na- 
tions, seeing its salutary effects, will gladly imi- 
tate our example. 

There will then be a general and permanent 
quarantine against the codling moth and kindred 
pests. 



115 



CONCLUDING REMARKS. 

Referring to arsenical poisoning for the cod- 
ling moth, we will say that spraying with it is, 
at best, only a partially effective remedy, and can 
never be relied on for its eradication. The fact 
may be recited that, after twenty-five years or 
more of popular use, the codling moth is now 
more numerous and extends over a wider area 
of the United States than ever before. And there 
are well grounded forebodings 'that it will still 
further extend its depredations. 

When we reflect upon the vast sums of money 
annually expended for these sprays, and the 
means of their appliance, and the amount of ab- 
solutely worthless sprays upon the market, and 
that, after repeated sprays, the worms seem to 
increase rather than diminish, we are deeply im- 
pressed with the necessity of finding a more effi- 
cient remedy. Our aim should be, not simply to 
control the codling moth, but to utterly extermi- 
nate the breed. In this way only can there be a 
permanent end to the unceasing labor and ex- 
pense of fighting with half-way remedies. 

After the first discovery of the introduction 

116 



of the codling moth into this country, had the leg- 
islation then been passed which is recommended 
in this treatise, the moths would have been con- 
fined to the localities of their first appearance, 
until means could have been devised to have 
stamped them out. As this prohibitive legisla- 
tion would have worked well then, so it must be 
made to work now. It is in vain that search be 
made for means to eradicate this insect, if, while 
it is eradicated in one place, it is spread in an- 
other. When prohibitive legislation seconds the 
means of extermination, the codling moth will 
be as an evil once endured, but now no more. 



117 



APR 26 1913 



